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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BALDIE on 6TH SEPTEMBER 2016 10:30 PM
I’m up in row PP. Let me know where you are and I’ll introduce myself.
FAC the Act
KTF
VFR
I’m incredibly busy at the moment but I wanted to express my gratitude for you continuing the highlight the need to consultation paper to repeal the OBaF Act.
Many thanks.
In my head that last post was in a language that humans could comprehend!!!
HAMILTONTIM on 6TH SEPTEMBER 2016 11:34 PM
In my head that last post was in a language that humans could comprehend!!!
………………….
I knew the Curriculum for Excellence would get to our teachers eventually. :-))
Hello again all you young rebels.
Just popped my head above the parapet and seen that our
blog is in a good place, lots of civility, people arranging meet ups
and some interesting discussions going on, just like the old days
on CQN , will it last?
I’m presently reading Sir Walex’s latest book and in it he gives our
old board ,Kelly’s, White, etc a load of stick for their treatment of
big Jock and Sean Fallon ,deservedly in my opinion, when they
retired, wonder if he will criticise the Manu. board for their
treatment of the Busby family.
Wait and see.
H.H Mick
Hamiltontim on 6th September 2016 11:34 pm
No worries, I worked it out. You’re post is completely lucid for so long as you’re talking about yourself. It’s only when you introduce a third party it drifts off message.
Easy fix.
Have i sent everybody to bed?
Ah well , lovely day here in Oz so i’m off down
the beach with a few cans of the black stuff.
H.H Mick
Just watched Paul Larkin, The Asterisk Years.
Watch if you haven’t already.
Lots have been in the Celtic blogs etc but some good information on our “sir”
TOSB
do any teachers like Curriculum for Excellence??!!
Beatbhoy
Retired ones.
Talking to myself again!
I was on the pitch at that abandoned Hibs game. . . .to escape the cans and bottles being lobbed!
Ha Ha!
I got that straight away even reading your moniker!!
There’s one of those subtitled Hitler Downfall vids on C of E.
Bloody funny, anaw!
“The teachers are complaining about workload, mein Führer!”
“Complaining? But we gave the bastards shiny new folders!”
Ha Ha!!
How’s things mate? Still haven’t met you in the Tavern!
What workload issues?
http://nebula.wsimg.com/44ea4f16760f3642812885396518543c?AccessKeyId=1D57F09AF6329EE31373&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
Very good! Sent on!
Jimbob71
Fine, ta. Yersel?
Haven’t been up there much over the Summer, but the subject of CQN does come up now and again, and if someone says, “That guy there posts as Jimbob71”, there’ll be a pint heading yer way!
Hope it happens. I’ll probably be up on at least one of the CL away nights, and your pals who had to suffer me at the Inter 3-3 should recognise me.
That kinda face, once seen, never forgotten!
Hope it happens!
Right, that’s typing my moniker in my own post, and repeating myself in the space of 2 sentences.
Time to kip, it seems!
Ha Ha!
Good stuff.
My mates all enjoyed the Inter game and said you were good company.
We will get a pint together!
Off to bed, work in the morning
As were they.
Night.
SID on 6TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:21 PM
I agree, Brendan has already made his decision, DeVries is No 1 and will play on Saturday.
I also think Brendan will start with Forrest with Paddy on the bench.
Rogic has just been subbed on 64 mins in the desert, hopefully no injury.
================================================================
Have heard no reports of such.
Commentator said ” that`s Rogic off after a great hours work. ” or words to that effect.
The game in Abu Dhabi was played in searing temps.
P`raps our coach knew Tom had a more important game coming up.
MACJAY
Barcelona?
Sinister.
http://m.heraldscotland.com/news/14726583.Leading_opponent_of_controversial_football_laws_facing_charges_under_the_Act/
Apologies, I’m not sure why, but only a small part of the article is appearing.
GgggrrrrrCSC
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 3:51 AM
MACJAY
Barcelona?
==========================================
Well , of course , Robin .
Said Batman , with a withering glance.
HAMILTONTIM on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 5:47 AM
Seems like the whole article appears in Oz.
Incidentally ,right behind you on this initiative.
No. Not with knife in hand .
:-)
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14725974.Celtic_fan_cleared_of_religious_bigotry_against_fellow_supporters/?ref=mrb&lp=6
Totally bizarre tale .
Until you read the last line of the article.
Macjay
It’s working fine when I copy the link into anywhere else but when I click on the one I posted only the very beginning is appearing.
Put the knives away :-)
HAMILTONTIM on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:04 AM
Macjay
It’s working fine when I copy the link into anywhere else but when I click on the one I posted only the very beginning is appearing.
Put the knives away :-)
===========================================
It appears fine here , mate.
Cliche time.
Lover not a fighter.
Unless , of course ……………………..
Macjay
Ahh works fine when I enabled JavaScript!
Must run.
Emilio played for Honduras tonight against Mexico in the Azteca.
Doesn’t give him a lot of recovery time for Saturday’s game, since he probably won’t be back in Glasgow until Thursday.
Just read the last sentence of that article. Thanks for pointing it out Macjay. Hoping you can now explain the facts in that article and what is just nonsense….
NEILBHOY on 7TH SEPTEMBER 2016 6:15 AM
Just read the last sentence of that article. Thanks for pointing it out Macjay. Hoping you can now explain the facts in that article and what is just nonsense….
===============================================
Why ?
Gamboa was an unused sub last night for Costa Rica.
Good morning friends from a considerably brighter, dry and broken clouded East Kilbride.
Mornin’ Jobo
El scorchio in Maguluf….Nae clouds
WINNING CAPTAINS on 6th September 2016 10:46 pm
CQN’s “FICTITIOUS ARTICLE ON RANGERS”…
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/?p=27547
________________________________________
Fantastic series of Articles WC; anyone who is having a debate on the old/new club issues only has to provide the links to these articles!
FAC the Act
KTF