Strange Times at Celtic Park

Celtic Park has played host to its share of big European nights under the floodlights, but none perhaps, was more memorable than the night of November 7, 2012.  Nearing the end of the group stage phase of the tournament, Celtic couldn’t afford to lose at home.  But, they had a huge problem… The undisputed-heavyweight-champions-of-the-world FC Barcelona were in town.  What’s more, the night happened to coincide with the club’s 125^th anniversary.  The stage was set for a wild night in Glasgow. 

Only 21 minutes went before Celtic’s big Kenyan center back, Victor Wanyama delivered a dream start to the match.  Connecting with a Charlie Mulgrew corner, Wanyama snuck the ball inside the far post.  The crowd erupted in a flurry of green and white as Depeche Mode’s “I Just Can’t Get Enough” exploded out of the loudspeakers. 

From then on, Celtic sat back and tried to defend against the brilliant, menacing, undying onslaught of Lionel Messi and Barcelona. Messi darted, dipped, dived, and danced his way toward goal time and time again. Each time, however the Celtic D and stellar goalkeeper Fraser Forster were up to the task. Still, Barcelona looked like they could score at any given time.

18-year old forward and fan favorite Tony Watt entered the game as a substitute at the 72-minute mark.  Eleven minutes later, Lionel Messi lined up a free-kick from about 25 yards off the goal line. Well within striking distance. 

All of Celtic Park held their breath as Messi moved towards the ball. A sense of dread was felt all over the crowd.  He curled the bar in towards the near post, right into the outstretched hands of a grateful Forster. The goalkeeper gathered the ball, took his time, and then booted it downfield with an unassuming dropkick. But Barcelona midfielder, 5-time UEFA Team of the Year honoree Xavi misplayed the ball.  It went careening past him, and fell perfectly for young Tony Watt who was now free and clear behind Barca’s back line.  The teenager took a touch into the box, looked up, picked his target and fired the ball low towards the far post, past flailing goalkeeper Victor Valdez. The ball was in the net; the place went nuts.  Rod Stewart sat in the stands, crying like a baby.  

The occasion tipped off months of celebration and anticipation for Celtic’s first trip to the Champions League knockout stages four years. 

 

Rod Stewart cried in the stands at Celtics 2-1 upset over Barcelona

 Feeling invincible, Celtic roared into the round-of-16 match against Italian powerhouses Juventus.  Sadly, the Celt’s luck had run out.  Juventus marched into Celtic Park on February 12, 2013 and blew out their hosts 3-0, going so far as to score a goal in the 3^rd minute of play. 

 

Despite their amazing display against Barcelona, it was clear from the Juve loss that Celtic was not on the same level as their continental counterparts. 

Celtic haven’t been particularly relevant in the Champions League since they won the tournament for the first and only time in 1967.  The fact of the matter is, their domestic league is extremely weak and they can’t compete with the major clubs in Europe.  Celtic supporters, however, were always content with international irrelevance, as long as they stayed competitive with unfathomably bitter cross-town rivals Rangers FC. I don’t want to delve too deeply into the fierce sectarian history between the two clubs, but note that Protestants founded Rangers FC in the 1870’s and Celtic was founded by, well, an Irish Catholic monk.  The age-old British dispute between Catholics and Protestants, republicans vs. loyalists, etc. has spilled over into the Celtic-Rangers Rivalry. 

It’s hard for an outsider to comprehend how totally dominant Celtic and Rangers are in Scottish soccer.  No team has won the Scottish League, other than the two Glasgow rivals, since 1985.  Rangers have 54 titles in all, Celtic have won 43, the next club has four.  The Old Firm, as Celtic and Rangers defined Scottish soccer.  They existed for over 100 years in an unyielding state of mutual hatred.  But, in February 2012, a year before Celtic’s loss to Juventus, Rangers FC were put into administration by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.  The club announced that it was deeply in debt, estimated to be between 50 and 100 million pounds.  They were liquidated. All of their player’s contracts were voided and the team was banished to the third tier of the Scottish soccer pyramid.  This leaves Celtic free have their way with the Scottish Premier League, for the foreseeable future. There just is no competition.

What is Superman without Lex Luthor?

Celtic find themselves too big for their own league, and too small to compete with the other teams in Europe.  FIFA has flat out rejected the idea of Celtic moving into the much higher quality English Premier League.  It is a strange, uncertain time for the Celts.