Champions League Tuesday 21st September 2004

Celtic 1

Barcelona 3

0:1 Deco 20
1:1 Sutton 59
1:2 Guily 78
1:3 Larsson 82

Att: 58,589

Ref: Merk (Ger)

Celtic: Marshall Balde Varga McNamara Agathe Lennon Petrov Juninho Thompson Camara Hartson
subs
Sutton for Juninho 46
Valgaeren for Hartson 63
Sylla for McNamara 80

Our fabulous Champions League home record comes to an end and it had to be 'him' that did it, although we didn't really need to be so accommodating by providing the boy with an empty net. True to his word, as ever, Henrik didn't celebrate the goal at all. Still can't get my head round the guys who were booing him. What was the story with that?

As for the game, well in the last four months Barcelona have spent more than we have in the last five years, getting in players of real quality. What were we really expecting to happen? To finish third in this group will be a real achievement. UEFA really are having a laugh when you consider that Panathinaikos were also in pot 2 with Milan.

For most of the game we were chasing shadows. Not surprising really - Larsson would be able to give them the low down on our weaknesses, hence their preference for attacking our left hand side knowing that Thompson likes to get forward and Jackie isn't really a left back.

That said it could have been different after the first 20 minutes of the second half. After Marshall brilliantly saved the penalty we got the wind in our sails and absolutely battered them. Camara's run and cross was impressive and Sutton's finish was superb. After that we had them worried. When a player as experienced as Puyol is panicking in defence you know you're doing the right thing.

Unfortunately the ball just didn't roll for us. Petrov brilliantly created a chance for himself only to see the keeper pull off a wonder save and Thompson managed to panic the defence in poking ball behind their own goalie, only to see the ball roll an inch past the post.

At that point Henrik was introduced and the game turned. He wasn't in evidence much initially, but then he played a one two on the wing. The ball was played to Guilly who managed to skitter it under Marshall, thanks to a deflection off Jackie McNamara. As if that wasn't bad enough Jackie managed to knacker his ankle in the process.

Then the real sucker punch; a high ball played up, Joos could either head it straight back to Marshall or head into the crowd, but he chose to head it into the middle of the park. Thompson reached it and attempted to head it back to the keeper. Oops! Lurking at the back was Henrik, who headed it over Marshall and tapped it into the empty net. Game over.