CELTIC have endured travel sickness this season with an all-time low coming against Barcelona in the 7-0 thrashing in the Nou Camp.
And the European campaign hardly got off to the best of starts with a 1-0 defeat from part-time Lincoln Red Imps in Gibraltar.
The Hoops have enjoyed some rollicking rollercoaster moments during their away days in European competition over the years. Here are some highs…and, unfortunately, some lows will follow shortly.
CELTIC’S TEN TO REMEMBER
1. STEVIE CHALMERS and Tommy Gemmell were the goalscorers to give Celtic their most historic European triumph when they became the first British club to win the elite trophy as they toppled mighty Inter Milan 2-1 in Lisbon on May 25, 1967.
2. TOMMY GEMMELL, the flamboyant full-back, scored the Hoops’ first-ever European Cup goal away from home when he fired in a long-range effort in the 3-0 win over FC Zurich in Switzerland on October 5, 1966. He notched another that evening and, ironically, claimed the club’s first goal in the competition in the opening leg 2-0 win at Parkhead the previous week.
3. JOHN HUGHES, the original Yogi, enjoyed a fabulous away day when he thumped in a hat-trick as the Parkhead men blasted Basle 5-1 in Switzerland on September 17, 1963 in the Cup-Winners’ Cup first round. Johnny Divers and Bobby Lennox scored the others.
4. GEORGE CONNELLY netted in the first minute as Celtic beat Leeds United 1-0 at Elland Road in the European Cup semi-final first leg in April 1970. Jock Stein’s men won 2-1 at Hampden with goals from Hughes and Bobby Murdoch to seal their Final date with Feyenoord in Milan.
5. GEORGE McCLUSKEY swept in the late winner as Billy McNeill’s men shocked Ajax in Amsterdam in the European Cup first round on September 29, 1982. The first game had been drawn 2-2. Charlie Nicholas had put the Glasgow giants into the lead in the return. The Dutch levelled before McCluskey’s stunning strike.
6. BOBBY PETTA, Didier Agathe and Chris Sutton were the goalscorers as Martin O’Neill’s Hoops shocked former European Cup kings Ajax 3-1 in the Champions League qualifier at the Amsterdam Arena in season 2001/02. The Dutch caused a fright by winning 1-0 in Glasgow, but the Bhoys managed to get through.
7. JOHN HARTSON scored the most memorable goal of his career as the Parkhead men, after drawing 1-1 in the first leg, knocked out Liverpool on their way to the UEFA Cup Final in Seville in 2003. The Welshman finished off a strong run with a pulverising drive that flew into the top corner for the killer second goal. Alan Thompson netted the first via a free-kick.
8. HENRIK LARSSON pounced in the fading moments to score the only goal of the semi-final encounter against Boavista who were poised to go through on the goals away rule after drawing 1-1 in the first leg at Parkhead. The super Swede set up the Seville showdown with Porto in 2003 and scored two more, but O’Neill’s side lost 3-2 in extra-time.
9. GEORGIOS SAMARAS and Scott McDonald scored to give Tony Mowbray a rare away success as the Hoops overcame Dinamo Moscow 2-0 in the Russian capital in a Champions League qualifier in 2009. The Bhoys had lost 1-0 in Glasgow and looked to be heading out until their heroic late show in Moscow.
10. GARY HOOPER and Samaras, plus an own goal from Dmitri Kombarov, gave Celtic a splendid 3-2 triumph over Spartak Moscow in Russia in the Champions League group stage in October 2012. The English striker was also on the mark when Neil Lennon’s side defeated their opponents for a second time in Glasgow. Kris Commons got the winner with a late penalty-kick in the 2-1 triumph.
