5. History
Casual readers will no doubt be at least somewhat familiar will events at Celtic Park on the evening of November 7th 2012.
Celebrating the 125th anniversary of the club’s inception, Celtic guided by then manager Neil Lennon put on a backs-to-the-wall display to shock the Catalans.
Victor Wanyama, now of Tottenham Hotspur, fired Celtic into a shock lead just over 20 minutes into the contest with a powerful header from a Charlie Mulgrew corner.
Ecstasy turned into rapture in the 83rd minute when Tony Watt latched onto a Fraser Forster long ball and drilled home Celtic’s second.
Lionel Messi responded in stoppage time but it was too little to late for Barca.
Now, while swallow doesn’t make a Spring, there is other historical evidence of Barcelona’s struggles against Celtic.
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Celtic eliminated a Barcelona side including Ronaldinho from the UEFA Cup in 2004 1-0 on aggregate.
The 0-0 second leg at the Camp Nou is one of two draws Celtic have managed there.
Indeed, in thirteen clashes between the sides going back to a meeting in the old Fairs Cup in 1964, NINE have either been drawn or settled by a single goal.
In the nine previous Champions League meetings, there have been six goals scored after the 80th minute.
It isn’t really until the last two, 6-1 and 7-0 Barca, that the rivalry has become lop-sided.