DAVID MARSHALL is unique among Celtic goalkeepers who have played a competitive game in Spain.
The Glaswegian is the ONLY Hoops netminder who has not conceded a goal on Spanish soil – and ELEVEN Parkhead shotstoppers have tried and failed in the past.
The miserable sequence kicked off in 1962 when John Fallon conceded four against Valencia in the now-defunct Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, Celtic’s first-ever match in European competition.
And the run continued all the way to 2018 when Scott Bain was forced to pick the ball out of the net in the same team’s 1-0 win over Brendan Rodgers’ team. That signalled the Irishman’s last Euro tie in charge of the team.
SPANISH AYES…David Marshall and his young team-mate John Kennedy prepare for the 2004 match against the Barca superstars.
THAT’S MY BHOY…tearful teenager David Marshall is congratulated by goalkeeping coach Terry Gennoe.
Joe Hart will be entrusted with the gloves in the Europa League Group B opener in Seville this evening for the club’s 20th outing in the country.
Marshall achieved his memorable landmark in 2004 when he produced a stunning display to deny Barcelona in a scoreless stalemate in the Nou Camp during a tense UEFA Cup encounter.
The agile last line of defence, who was only 19 at the time, performed heroics against Ronaldinho and Co as he inspired Martin O’Neill’s men to a 1-0 aggregate success after Alan Thompson had acrobatically fired in the only goal of the first leg in Glasgow.
Marshall succeeded where the likes of John Fallon, Ronnie Simpson, Denis Connaghan, Peter Latchford, Pat Bonner, Rab Douglas, Magnus Hedman, Artur Boruc, Fraser Forster, Dorus De Vries and Scott Bain all failed.
THE JUGGLER…Rab Douglas thwarts Celta Vigo’s Benni McCarthy as Joos Valgaeren stands guard.
The Hoops are still searching for their first win in Spain and have lost 16 and drawn three of the previous 19 meetings.
Celtic have been beaten in each of their last seven ties on Spanish soil by a worrying aggregate score of 20-2.
Here is the list in full (for those of a nervous disposition, please look away now):
1962: Fairs Cup: Rnd 1: Valencia 4 CELTIC 2
1964: FC, R2: Barcelona 3 CELTIC 1
1974: European Cup: Semi-final: Atletico Madrid 2 CELTIC 0
1980: EC, Quarter-final: Real Madrid 3 CELTIC 0
1982: EC, R2: Real Sociedad 2 CELTIC 0
1985: European Cup-Winners’ Cup: R1: Atletico Madrid 1 CELTIC 1
2001: UEFA Cup: R3: Valencia 1 CELTIC 0
2002: UC: R3: Celta Vigo 2 CELTIC 1
2003: UC: Final: Porto 3 CELTIC 2
2004: UC: R16: Barcelona 0 CELTIC 0
LAST-GASP MISERY…Fraser Forster looks aghast as Barcelona’s Jordi Alba scores a stoppage-time winner in 2012 with James Forrest watching.
2004: UC: QF: Villarreal 2 CELTIC 0
2004: Champions League group: Barcelona 1 CELTIC 1
2008: CL: R16: Barcelona 1 CELTIC 0
2008: CL: GS: Villarreal 1 CELTIC 0
2011: Europa league: GS: Atletico Madrid 2 CELTIC 0
SEVEN AND HELL…Luis Suarez thumps in one of Barca’s goals against Dorus de Vries in their 7-0 romp in 2016.
2012: CL: GS: Barcelona 2 CELTIC 1
2013: CL: GS: Barcelona 6 CELTIC 1
2016: CL: GS: Barcelona 7 CELTIC 0
2018: EL, R32: Valencia 1 CELTIC 0
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Real Betis v Celtic tonight – only in your champion CQN.
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