Football fans the world over know Barcelona better than any other team, apart from their own personal favourites. We have all marvelled at how this side redefined the game at club level, before carrying their modus operandi and success to the Spanish national team, with an even greater win ratio, but the devil is in the detail, and the details point to a vulnerability in Barcelona.
They have won European trophies three times in the last nine seasons but only once in the other six seasons have they been eliminated by a non-British team. Five times in nine seasons they have passed, jinked and outplayed British opposition without creating enough clear-cut chances to win the tie, or by protecting their goal sufficiently well.
Inter parked the bus in the 2010 Champions League semi-final, as only Inter can, but all others across continental Europe have been swept aside, no matter how defensively, flamboyantly or aggressively they play.
The pool of teams capable of beating over two legs Barcelona is admittedly small but any opponent who reaches the knock out stage of a competition from France, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Italy or Spain itself would take their chances seriously. The Russians, Ukrainians and Belgians would have a go too. None of these countries have a single team better than Barca by any objective measure, but the same is true of British teams.
There is something about the high-tempo nature of the British game this team just doesn’t cope well with. If they did, they would have won at least twice as many European trophies as they have in the last nine seasons. If it’s objective evidence you are looking for, you don’t need to look too far for a style of football Barcelona don’t cope with.
Chelsea triumphed twice during the period while Liverpool and Manchester United both won once. The sequence started when Celtic drew 0-0 at the Camp Nou after a 1-0 win in Glasgow in 2004. Liverpool also knocked Barca out three years earlier and don’t ask a Dundee United fan about their exploits at the Camp Nou unless you have an hour to kill!
Play your own game, Celtic.
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I’d go with
Forster
Lustig Wilson Ambrose Mulgrew
Brown Kayal Wanyama Ledley Sammi
Hooper
IN GREEN EVEN
HH
Well if there had to be a winner tonight it was better for us to be Spartak
Anything from the 2 games against Barca will be a huge bonus
Ray Singh-Carr
19:00 on 23 October, 2012
team’s already been announced, Kayal not playing, Izzy is
up_over
4-5-1
Kayal33
Okay mate. Just logged in and hadn’t seen the team yet.
Still think we can sneak a point tonight.
Fingers and everything else crossed.
HH
Pogmathonyahun
Could be all on us beating them in the last game at CP.
Nice video build up with the Lennon video
For CQN’rs just logging on – Official Line Up
Forster; Lustig, Wilson, Ambrose, Izaguirre; Brown, Wanyama, Ledley, Mulgrew; Samaras, Hooper
Big Glenn Loovens travelled down from Zaragoza to watch the Hoops
Once you play for Celtic it never leaves your heart
Well done big Glenn
like the team tonight. glad super joe is in the side. give it the game of your lives bhoys!!
We can beat this mob , c’mon the hoops!
Please
off to the burnside hotel hasta pronto campiones !
We should expect to lose this match. Anything we get here is a massive bonus.
C’mon the hoops!
Ten Men
Indeed, he was also in the Celtic end of Sevconia, when out of the starting line up.
Mon the hoops
It will be tremendous to see our young Celts play in the Nou Camp; I hope they do us proud in what will be the most difficult of matches.
C’mon the Hoops!
new article posted.
Whats the collective noun for masturbaters ?
Is it a nichprolvans ?
Tell they diddies on Sky to stop calling it Nou Camp. It’s Camp Nou.
Mon the hoops
Hx2
Toquero @Toquero_theboss
Si el Celtic viniera a jugar aquí cada semana se acabaría la crisis. La cantidad de cerveza que beben sus aficionados no es normal. Grandes.
Retwitteado por Celtic Underground
If Celtic came to play here every week the crisis would be over. The quantity of beer that their fns drink is not normal. Greats.
That’s a fine big team Hooper will look like a midget in the line-up!
I can’t translate that. He says ‘Grandes’ to mean he think’s they’re great. what would we say in English/Glaswegian?
Afternoon all,
Nervous, stomach churning, total lack of concentration, irritable, sweaty palms…wtf??
Ah got it…we must be playing Champions League football today!
C’mon the Hoops
Hail Hail
Spartak 2-1 Benfica means Celtic will be at least 2nd at the group halfway stage after tonight’s match in Barcelona, with 2 home games left
Good luck to the Bhoys enjoy every moment, remember you will never ever get this playing for Swansea, Sunderland, Newcastle etc.
Pure pish-heads maybe
Hello all, Long time lurker (only posted about 4 times in 5 years) looking for some help. New to betting, just placed a bet on Betfair of first scorer. Deposited funds and then placed the bet, but it tells me Waiting (unmatched). What does it mean and what am I meant to do? help appreciated and before anyone asks, no I’m not one of them. Hail Hail
Sparkle
Stoaters!
Approx 12 months ago this blog was in a state of anxiety .
Fast forward the calendar,5 away european games without defeat.
This is another giant leap for our young side.
My wish for tonight is that Celtic do themselves justice.
We will learn no matter the result.Oh how I wish I was in Barca tonight.
Enjoy the the game folks,we are back where we belong.HH
bournesouprecipe
19:05 on
23 October, 2012
Better result for us was Spartak winning. Of the 3 teams outside Barca I believe we are the best team. I am hopeful that it may be settled before the last game.
C’mon the Hoops tonight! We have never won on Spanish soil but this year 2012 has been an amazing year in many ways. Maybe the Mayans were correct.
Gimat.
Your bet is waiting to be matched,ie someone covers your bet.
You are the bookie on Betfair.In general there is a lot of activity
just before kick-off,I,m sure your bet will be matched.Be lucky.HH
Thanks angelgabriel
I guess I’ll have to wait then…not sure I can handle the nerves already. Cheers and enjoy the match
Lenny is pretty imaginative in the way he puts his teams out. I’m expecting Sammi as point man, and Hoops in the same position he played on Saturday.
Big Vic in front of the back 4, with Broony, Leds and Mulgrew ahead of him.
Looking forward to seeing what these kids can do, as I realise that bar Kayal for Vic, that’s the oldest team Lenny could have selected.
C’Mon You Bhoys In Green
Oh, my ghod……