bhoys beaten in barca
Gregor Kyle
CELTIC’S UEFA Champions League campaign ended in defeat in the Nou Camp, with Barcelona adding one, without reply, to the 3-2 aggregate scoreline that they had clocked up at Celtic Park a fortnight ago.
Given the quality that was shown in that opening victory by the Catalans, some feared the worst in the return leg in Spain.
But while there was no shame in this 1-0 defeat, the game, as has so often been the case away from home in this competition, was over in a matter of minutes, with Xavi Hernandez scoring with just three minutes on the clock.
Gordon Strachan tried a different approach in this encounter, reverting to a 4-5-1 formation with Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink returning to the side as lone striker after his recent injury and Shunsuke Nakamura taking up an advanced role as the link between defence and attack.
The idea was perhaps to shield the Celtic back four while occupying Barca’s own back line and their inspirational holding midfielder, Yaya Toure, but the team had little time to settle into the new formation when a loose pass from Massimo Donati immediately had them scrambling to recover.
Having been given possession, Barca then showed their outstanding ability, with Xavi rolling the ball out to Ronaldinho on the edge of the box and the Brazilian flicking it into the path of the unmarked, onrushing Sylvinho.
The left-back then lifted a pass across the six yard box from the byline which found the run of Xavi, who extended a leg and poked the ball past the stranded Artur Boruc.
The move clearly caught Celtic on the hop with right-back Mark Wilson, who was making his first start since September 18, exposed and unassisted and in the 12th minute a similar attack nearly reaped the same rewards.
This time it was Samuel Eto’o who almost turned Sylvinho’s cross in at the near post, with Wilson again screaming for support from his team-mates.
The attack had followed a promising push forward by Celtic, with Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink unable to head a Scott Brown pass into the path of the unmarked Donati at the back post. But such moments were rare in this first 45 minutes.
What ensued was a lesson in possession play and movement, with Celtic penned-in and Paul Hartley and Stephen McManus making a couple of vital last-ditch blocks.
Even when Barca took their foot off the gas, apparently content to bide their time and hold on to the ball, there were worrying moments, such as Carles Puyol’s break forward which had Boruc scrambling to touch the ball over the bar.
The home side’s greatest concern in the first half turned out to be an injury to Lionel Messi, with the Argentinean playmaker inconsolable as he limped off after pulling up in agony. This moment only served to further highlight the quality in the Barca ranks though, with Thierry Henry coming off the bench.
Gordon Strachan made one change at half-time as he sought to redress the balance and after Evander Sno came on for Donati, Celtic at least began to play higher up the park. Striker Georgios Samaras then replaced Vennegoor of Hesselink 10 minutes after the restart.
However, Barca still looked like the more dangerous side going forward with Boruc blocking a powerful drive from Ronaldinho right on the hour mark and moments later producing another wonderful save to deny Deco.
Throughout this concerted spell of pressure, the travelling support, estimated to be 10,000 strong, were in full voice and when Stephen McManus saw a thumping effort blocked on the edge of the box the volume increased.
The speculative shot was sandwiched in the midst of concerted pressure from Barca, with the home side attempting to pass their way through the massed Celtic ranks and Lee Naylor forced into a sliding tackle to deny Eto’o after his skill and guile put him though on goal.
Even the late introduction of Scott McDonald to partner Samaras up front did little to turn the tide and one brilliant move and look-away pass from Ronaldinho in the 88th minute almost added a second, with Eidur Gudjohnsen following this up with a rasping drive that was saved by Boruc.
Then, in a busy close to the match, Nakamura forced a great save from Victor Valdes with a long-range, dipping shot, but it was not enough and the game finished at 1-0.
It was a valiant effort in the group stages that got the players to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League for the second year running, particularly when they were ranked as under-dogs right from the outset.
But they showed their character to progress ahead of Benfica and Shakhtar Donetsk and can take some consolation from the fact that they had again been beaten by a side who are among the favourites to win the competition.
UEFA Champions League
First knock-out round, second leg
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Nou Camp, Barcelona
BARCELONA… 1
(Xavi 3)
CELTIC… 0
(Final aggregate score: Barca 4 Celtic 2)
WEBSITE MAN OF THE MATCH: Stephen McManus
BARCELONA (4-3-3) Valdes; Zambrotta, Puyol, Thuram, Sylvinho; Xavi (Gudjohnsen 82), Yaya Toure (Edmilson 68), Deco; Messi (Henry 38), Eto’o, Ronaldinho.
Subs: Pinto, Iniesta, Abidal, Bojan Krkic.
CELTIC (4-5-1) Boruc; Wilson, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor; S Brown, Donati (Sno 46), Hartley (McDonald 78), McGeady; Nakamura; Vennegoor of Hesselink (Samaras 55).
Subs: M Brown, Pressley, Robson, O’Dea.