* TEN-MAN Anderlecht’s 1-0 win over Martin O’Neill’s Celtic in the Champions League in season 2003/04 was the Belgian side’s only victory against Scottish opponents in 10 attempts.
* ARUNA DINDANE netted the solitary goal 18 minutes from time at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium on October 21, 2003. The hosts played for 64 minutes a man short after captain Glen De Boeck’s second yellow card.
* THE Hoops line-up was: Magnus Hedman; Didier Agathe, Bobo Balde, Stanislav Varga, Jackie McNamara (sub: Joos Valgaeren 46); Stilian Petrov, Neil Lennon (sub: Liam Miller 80), Alan Thompson; Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton and John Hartson.
* DINDANE was on target again at Parkhead in the 77th minute, but by then the Hoops were leading 3-0 through goals from Henrik Larsson (12), Liam Miller (17) and Chris Sutton (29).
* CELTIC’S 3-1 victory in Glasgow proved crucial as O’Neill’s side edged out the Belgians for third place in the section on head-to-head record after the clubs finished level on seven points. Bayern Munich and Lyon went through to the next stage of the Champions League.
* OLIVIER DESCHACT played in both games and is still in the Anderlecht squad.
* THE Belgians champions sacked Swiss coach Rene Weiler on September 18.
* ANDERLECHT kicked off Group B with a 3-0 loss against Bayern Munich while Celtic suffered a record home defeat in their 5-0 hammering from Paris Saint-Germain.
* THE Belgians are appearing in the Champions League group stage for the 12th time. They qualified automatically after winning their 34th title.
* ANDERLECHT have lost only one of their last seven home games in European competition, going down 3-2 to Saint-Etienne on matchday six of last season’s Europa League. Their only win in their last seven home games in the top tournament came in a 2-0 triumph over Galatasaray in November 2014. The victory ended a six-match losing run in Brussels.
* LAST season, Anderlecht crashed out to FC Rostov in the Champions League third qualifying round. Moving into the Europa League, they went all the way to the last eight – their first European quarter-final since losing to Inter Milan in the 1996/97 UEFA Cup – eventually going out to Manchester United (1-1 home, 1-2 away aet).
• ANDERLECHT have not faced Scottish opposition other than Celtic in 25 years, beating Hibs on the away goals in the 1992/93 UEFA Cup first round (2-2 away, 1-1 home).
* THE Brussels team’s home record against Scottish outfits is one win, two draws and two losses. Overall, it is one win, four draws and five losses.
* CELTIC’S other encounters against Belgian opponents came in the 1991/92 UEFA Cup first round when they beat Germinal Beerschot 3-1 on aggregate (2-0 home, 1-1 away) and against KAA Gent in the first round of the 1984/85 European Cup Winners’ Cup, (0-1 away, 3-0 home).
* THE Hoops are still awaiting their first victory on Belgian soil although they have won all three in Glasgow.
* CELTIC started this season in the second qualifying round, beating Linfield (2-0 away, 4-0 home) and then Rosenborg (0-0 home, 1-0 away). They managed a fifth straight clean sheet with a 5-0 win against FC Astana in the home first leg of their play-off, advancing despite a 4-3 loss in Kazakhstan.
* THE victory in Ireland against Linfield broke the club’s 11-match sequence without an away win in Europe, drawing six and losing five.
* CELTIC are in the Champions League group stage for the 10th time.
• THE Hoops have not won any of their last 16 European group stage fixtures in the Champions League or Europa League, drawing seven and losing nine.
* LAST season the Glasgow side came fourth in their section, taking three points from six games. They suffered a record 7-0 loss at Barcelona and were beaten 2-0 at Parkhead by Lionel Messi and Co. They drew 3-3 and 1-1 with Manchester City and also gained a 1-1 stalemate away against Borussia Monchengladbach, but lost 2-0 at home to the Germans.
* CELTIC’S last victory in the Champions League group stage was a 2-1 home success against Ajax on October 22, 2013. Their record since is three draws and seven losses.
* HOOPS defender Dedryck Boyata grew up in Brussels and was at the local club from the age of 13 to 16 before joining Manchester City in 2006. Ronny Deila signed him for Celtic in July 2015.
* Boyata, Matz Sels and Leander Dendoncker are Belgian international team-mates.
The CQN Podcast: A Celtic State of Mind (EP14) Champions League Special
A Celtic State of Mind offers an insight into the culture of Celtic Football Club, the city of Glasgow, and fans of the reigning invincible Scottish champions.
Each episode includes interviews with ‘Celtic-minded’ figures from the world of sport, music, film, art, broadcasting, literature or politics.
Ahead of the crucial Champions League match against Anderlecht, ‘A Celtic State of Mind’ goes behind the Champions League curtain for Celtic’s opening match against PSG.
Kevin Graham provides pre and post-match discussion with members of his CSC, as well as in-match analysis in what will be a regular Celtic State of Mind feature.
Enjoy!
