This Champions League malarkey is becoming about as self-important as sport can get, but Celtic and Barcelona produced two incredible football games in the modest Uefa Cup in 2004.
Barcelona were on the cusp of the greatness which followed. After five years without a league or cup win, they won nine consecutive games, then a club record, before travelling to Celtic Park. Starting the following year, they won eight of the 12 La Liga titles available since, collecting four Champions Leagues along the way.
Celtic won the game 1-0 thanks to an Alan Thompson goal on 59 minutes, but this tells little of the drama which unfolded that night.
Two players were sent off as the teams walked up the tunnel at halftime, Celtic goalkeeper, Rab Douglas, who was by all accounts trying to break-up a fight, and Barcelona’s Motta. Suggestions are that Bobo Balde was the Celtic player involved, but the referee didn’t have the wherewithal to face down Bobo.
At the game, we knew something had happened, but none of us had any details. Then 19-year-old David Marshall emerged for the second half in the goalkeeper’s jersey, a player who had only made one previous professional appearance, in the Scottish Cup against then-lower league St Johnstone.
Four minutes into the second half Saviola was red carded, leaving us with a 10-9 game on a pitch which Barca legend, Hristo Stoichkov referred to as a potato field (it has been a very wet winter).
We have seen many great players at Celtic Park, more than a few from Barcelona, but none have performed as well as Ronaldinho did that night. He put on a performance which was utterly sublime, but despite carving Celtic open repeatedly, neither he nor his team-mates could find a way past the teenage keeper.
A confident performance even saw Marshall leave his area to chip an opponent to find a team-mate with a pass.
Rab was suspended for the return so Martin O’Neill took the opportunity to give David Marshall some game time before heading to the Camp Nou with his novice keeper, hoping to defend a one goal lead. I remember Martin saying “I’ve every confidence David Marshall will be up to the job” at a media conference. “Based on what?”, I thought.
30 seconds into the return leg Marshall dived full length to stop a shot creeping inside the post, as Celtic fans braced themselves for what was clearly going to be 90 minutes of tension.
If Marshall’s first leg performance was full of remarkable calmness and maturity, his performance in the Camp Nou was one of the finest displays by any player in a Celtic shirt. Ever. He simply would not be beaten. Barcelona threw everything in their considerably armoury at him from first to last, to be met by a series of remarkable saves.
Everything we know about football suggests David Marshall’s performances against Barcelona shouldn’t have happened. He was completely unprepared to walk onto Celtic Park at halftime in the first leg, and had little chance to acclimatise for the rigors of Ronaldinho and Co. at the Camp Nou two weeks later, but the episode is now a chapter in our illustrious European history.
So what’s the contemporary relevance for this tale? A week from tonight Brendan Rodgers will choose between Craig Gordon and Dorus de Vries to play at the Camp Nou against three of the finest strikers in modern times, de Vries having played one game for the club, Gordon performing below the peak he achieved when he broke into the team two years ago.
This will be Brendan’s biggest call in the months ahead. It’s not an ideal situation, but he should call it early. Just as Martin did 12 years ago, tell the world that whoever is getting the nod he’s going to be perfectly at home at the Camp Nou.
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AN TEARMANN .
Zbyszek is coming into Glasgow on Friday,The Blane Valley to be exact,so if you have time for a wee dram you know where we will be,get yer arse of the mountains for a couple of hours. Same goes fur Preacepta.
sorry for posting to those who’ve had to put up with the intimidation of the liars/deniers etc. However, a young lad talking about his football club and players in detail (don’t agree about Lee Wallace obviously) until he gets to the issue of the ‘new club’ which he can’t discuss and merely states FIFA and SFA have ‘approved’ (?) it’s the old club – no mention of any evidence/dates/ legal procedures/ persons involved.
Now that there are clubs stating they are a new club and there are some elements of the media questioning their statements, all they have is an ’emperor’s new clothes’ approach, nodding to themselves despite there being documents belonging to national and international organisations which prove they were ‘liquified’
Extreme H alert – ‘new club’ bit is at 3.25 . Scroll past if you put up with amateurs like this daily !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0_8ba9brtM
EUROCHAMPS67 on 6TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:59 PM
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Tell the PLC-Hierarchy aboot it.
HH
Auld Tam
From 2.40 odd earlier- sorry I missed your reply to the 75 minute rule
I was at the Foggy Hibs game and the rumour swept the ground that after 75 mins the result stood – I recall chanting ‘we can’t see’ for ages
Also was at the replay and on the pitch at Brickville when we clinched the nine!
In fact I’m sure somebody – msm or Hibs themselves tried to dig up a 75 min rule post match
Kevj
Agreed, Celtic must use this opportunity to deliver the new club stance!
No farting about..
HH
SALTIRES EN SEVILLA
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Hail Hail fella, take care.
Going away now…I can hear the clique-wagons
circling in the background ;-)
Ye can ‘never’ be paranoid enough – CSC
….laters-zzzz…..
I’m in need of 2 Tickets for the away match in Monchengladbach.
Any part of the stadium will do.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I’ve just been badly let down .
I can be emailed on
andrew.watt16@btinternet.com
TT
KEVJUNGLE on 6TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:50 PM
I was hearing from a hun at work that
they’ve got a ‘new’ hate-filled anthem
ready to be launched on Saturday.
They are pure evil.
= = = = = = = = = =
That’s the very reason their old club died.Hate is degenerative,especially when used as a motivator.
I’ll bet the song’s shite in any case.
I’VEHADTOCHANGEMYNAME on 6TH SEPTEMBER 2016 7:00 PM
I was more concerned with his comment regards Lee WaGrass
“The Rangers captain not getting into the Scotland team was slight bigotry by the Scotland Manager Gordon Strachan”
Sad, Deluded little Tw….
We have one very happy & proud CQN’er. Josh Kerr has put our Development Bhoys one up against Dunfermline.
ITV4
Holland v Sweden
Celtic interest Lustig, Virgil and Guidetti
Auld Tam – Page 2
Sorry mate just catching up,
The Hibs game abandoned by fog did not lead to nine in a row mate.
Brockville was ’74.
HH
it’s all someone else’s fault aurora
I’VEHADTOCHANGEMYNAME on 6TH SEPTEMBER 2016 7:00 PM
That lad’s shameless.Imagining being into Limp Bizkit!? ;))
*imagine
ha babasonicos71!
Re collum
Celts have a great record with WC in charge … although he has a few blemishes Big Dan and Wee Jamsie …
…. he lacks a bit of a feel for the game but noticed more recently he is not reaching for his card as often ,, still in a very difficult to game to handle he struggles sorting out the bad guys,
Tempting fate but at least with WC it is just incompetence rather than inbred trigger whistle under press in a game
Anyway 4-1 as per Aberdeen game , we were much more organised and better against Aberdeen than we were given credit for ….
Scott Sinclair playing 10 to 15 yds infield will rip through them , over commit JAB who will be dismissed
Predictions CFC
Interesting stat from the England U21 match, they had 45% possession but won 6-1. Possession is overrated.
South of Tunis, going by what I saw on the roads in Sorrento two months ago and my encounters with some Italians at Eurodisney a few years ago, the Divine Ponytail was spot on.
On holiday Mexico so kick off is 6 in the morning, anyone know if any US channels will be showing the game, might be my only hope
Development Team win one nil, goal scored by JOSH KERR.
Thought Virgil van Dijk was lucky not to have a penalty given against him earlier.
Livingston drawn away to Crusaders, Belfast in the Challenge Cup.
I ended up on the park at the foggy Hibs game, it was a pea souper, those nice chaps from The Torch and The Spur were not happy at the back of The Jungle…
Saltires, that was a fantastic night at the Uni CSC anniversary dinner.
I had a huge lump in my throat when Sean done his speech, so much pride and heartfelt feeling for our team from one of our greatest.
The only downside that was that ignoramus , David Low, who was sitting at the back of the hall chatting through Sean’s speech.
Young Sean was not impressed and told Mr Low that common courtesy towards his dad should have been shown. Low said he couldn’t hear Sean’s speech that’s why he was chatting.
David Low may be a financial expert but I don’t have much respect for him.
Even the token bluenose there , Joe’s brother in law, showed more respect for Sean and was moved by his speech.
Paul67 et al
I’m with Lena Martell and Jock Stein on this one, one day and one game at a time. Or are we still playing International Football at the weekend? Oh that’s right, we are at least, we are playing Rangers International FC, not to be confused with Rangers FC as was, who in BDO’s latest creditors report, show liabilities of £169 million and a fraction of that as assets. Not to mention the £109 mill written off by MIH over the piece, which isn’t in the report. Talk to Lloyds Bank about that if you will. Who’se that team they call Barcelona? Ask me on Saturday night.
CORKCELT on 6TH SEPTEMBER 2016 7:59 PM
Development Team win one nil, goal scored by JOSH KERR.
——–
How do you know the boy?
Corkcelt
He scored the winner :-)
http://www.celticfc.net/news/11236
HH
Hope lifes good.heard Tipp had a quiet weekend :-)
HH
OLDTIM67 on 6TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:59 PM
What time are the Troops gathering at the BV?
Will pop in for a few hours – will be good to catch up.
H!H!
Gordybhoy
They show Scottish football on Fox sports 2 in USA
So will probably be on
Larssonesque finish for Sweden
Sweden v Holland ITV4
Fan a tic.
Cheers mucker just need to set the alarm now
I passed a pal’s ticket on for Saturday to a bhoy in work, seems as its for Rail Seating Area, you need a paper ticket too? Problem is he is on holiday and paper ticket arriving any day now, will the Ticket Office give him a paper ticket if he explains the story?
Corkcelt
Yes his gran said a prayer and lit a candle for him at mass this morning. The power of prayer!!!!
By god its warm here in Santa Ponsa 0:) HH
CQN article The Truth Hurts
An excellent critique of the media with their own words
The Myth Sayers should be asked why the sea change in opinion from then to now
I mean death meant death back in 2012 what has changed since.
Btw a Celtic media is the future we should subscribe to it, with proper funding you could hire a couple of Alex Thomsons to go sniffing
HH