I have to admit I thought some of the quotes to emerge on social media from the world’s greatest players about Celtic Park were perhaps apocryphal. That concern was laid to rest on Barcelona’s website today as the team boarded a flight from the rainy Catalan capital, Leonel Messi on-board, alas.
Their article, titled, “FC Barcelona players ‘just can’t get enough’ of Celtic Park”, reads like a fantasy piece typed on a green and white keyboard.
“Xavi Hernández once said: “I don’t think I have seen anything like the Celtic fans in all the stadiums I have played at. When you step out at Celtic Park, the atmosphere they create for their team is incredible. It doesn’t matter how many big games you have played in, walking out into that atmosphere is always intense.””
Messi added, “I’ve been fortunate to play in some great stadiums in Europe with Barcelona but none compare to Celtic” he said after the game in 2013. The Argentinian has also been quoted as admitting that “I have a Celtic jersey at home. The games against Celtic were special and I want to remember them.”
Playmaker Iniesta said, “They were amazing, not quiet for a single second! The Celtic fans are very special and the club and players can be very proud of them. They are the best I have ever heard.” While Pique wrote, “no words to describe the atmosphere at Celtic Park”.
The article concludes, “Whatever the outcome on Wednesday night, one thing is for sure. There’s going to be a show, and the Glasgow Celtic (and Barça) will be there.”
This kind of respect has been earned the hard way. The game which kicked it all off, Celtic’s 1-0 win in 2004, wasn’t a pleasant affair. Three men were red carded and Barcelona were bitter about the pitch, their treatment and the luck which fell their way, but when the sublime Ronaldinho was substituted with two minutes remaining the home support gave him a memorable reception.
We lost 1-3 to them the following year in a game which still rankles. After levelling we had them on the rack for a period, but two late moments of slackness allowed Barcelona to take the points.
When Barca returned in the Champions League knock-out rounds in 2008 we absolutely battered them for 45 minutes. Barry Robson had been a Dundee United player a few weeks earlier but scored peach of a header to give Celtic a 2-1 halftime lead. We’d peaked too soon and were caught out by our gung-ho approach.
The 2-1 win on our 125th birthday will live long in the memory. It was probably the most intense occasion Celtic Park had ever experienced. Arguably the greatest team to play the game applied suffocating pressure as they tried to overcome an 18th minute concession. I doubt any team has ever faced such a formidable foe who passed and prodded with such intensity.
Regrets also linger from our 0-1 defeat with 10 men three years ago when a rash moment from Scott Brown was exploited by the writhing Neymar. Charlie Mulgrew’s header from a corner kick came close to handing the 10 men a remarkable point.
We’re not in Barcelona’s league in any literal or metaphorical sense, but tomorrow’s another occasion to earn points the hard way.
297 Comments- Pages:
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NEUSTADT-BRAW on 22ND NOVEMBER 2016 4:46 PM
Thank you.
Good evening friends. Tonight, I shall be mostly supporting Monaco (overpriced at 7/4), Sporting Lisbon (robbed in the Bernabou and there’s soming about Lisbon – 19/4), Copenhagen (at home to (boooooooooo….) Porto at 14/5) and Seville (there’s something about Seville – 9/5).
Would cover the ha;f a dozen warm drinks (almost!) that I may need to morrow night.
Jobo
Monaco are overpriced maybe because they only need a draw to qualify for the last 16.
Good luck, though!
Evening .
Know there’s not much hope , but looking for 2 tickets for tomorrow … My big Jersey bean mate has got the bug and has decided to take his Son up .
Know it’s short notice , but any help would be greatly appreciated .
HH
Looking forward to tomorrow. No real expectations. Just hope we put on a show and put up a fight.
Tomorrow night is a chance to restore our good name . Nobody, but nobody, should be beating Celtic 7-0.
Win, lose or draw (where have I heard that before?) we should let them know they’ve been in a game.
Right, haud the bus, why wasn’t it better puclicised that the referee for Sporting v Real is Oor Wullie Column? What chance do the (alternative) hoops have now??
Collum, Madden, Beaton and Connor are the officials for Real v Sporting………………………
I will wager now that oor wullie will have a decent game, he will not let things go like he does in scotland, he may well make make mistakes cos he is useless :-)
Can someone please try to log into Kerrydale street and tell me if it’s down or the problem is my end, TIA
TET …. I think it is down.
TET
Kerrydale st
Unable to connect to board server. Please check back soon.
MiT
Thanks, I did think it was a prob here for a while, but it seems not.
HH
Bognor
Cheers, MiT beat you to it :-)
HH
2-1 Dortmund
1-0 Real, very good call from the lino
FFS, 5-2 Dortmund
Boydachenko preparing next weeks column….how funny would it be if Moussa bangs in a hat trick tomorrow night….
Defences well on top in Dortmund……………………
7 goals in 22 minutes!
Willie Collum in good decision shock in Lisbon
Dortmund 5 Legia 2.
Great attacking and dreadful defending on view.
When was 3-2 Polish striker hits bar with sitter then Dortmund respond with 2 quick goals.
Also checked in on a few of the nights other games and one thing that caught my attention was that even the champions league camerawork is second rate compared to the EPL production.
I work in advertising and understand how well window dressing and fluff does selling crap.
The EPL does a very good job of marketing and selling a decent product
The camera work and angles creates excitement that is not really there.
..
Thank to those Who put me back in touch with The Boy Jinky..
The Beer is Back.. l mean The Green Bear is Back..Beware o the Bear..
Summa of TheOnlyJinksInTownCSC
Juve get a penalty for Sevilla holding in the box…..
BADA BING
Funny how certain teams always come out right side of decisions in Champions league.
Guess some teams are just lucky.
some odd stats from today’s game … this one caught my eye
Monaco has only 38% of the possession, but managed 6 shots on target from 10 attempts …. Spurs have had 62% of the possession, but no shots or attempts on goal.
Tickets for tomorrow sorted .
HH
MIKE IN TORONTO
Don’t get me started again on my possession is overrated rant.
Don’t care about the football tonight.
My younger son is on my seat tomorrow, beside my sister. They’ll have a great night no matter the result and it makes me smile just to think about it. I know Celtic fans will show the world what we offer.
The Celtic community I represent is more than just fans of the team I support. Willie Collum and Kevin Clancy are part of my Celtic community and I take pride in their achievements to date. Good luck to them both this week.
Works out we’ve five briefs for the League Cup final on Sunday and I’m number five. A seat to watch my team win the cup we won at my first Celtic game 49 years ago?
Celtic forever.
Think Collum got that one right.
Dortmund 6 Legia 3 with 32 minutes still to play!
Collum gets the red card out.
Justifieably.
Hope Senderos isn’t watching….
Fan …. doesn’t seem to be much happening on CQN today … a good rant may liven the place up!
Oor willie has had a decent game, amazing the difference when you are assesed by an honest supervisor
Switching between games, all poor so far.
1-0 Lyon
MIKE IN TORONTO
Not much happening on blog recently.
Did the international break kill the flow?
Maybe tomorrow it will crash with our fans optimism ?
MIT
Darlington Nagbe in Glasgow with his agent for match tomorrow
Know anything about him ? Portland Timbers player