Uefa Champions League: Barcelona 1-0 Celtic

Celtic dreams just that as Barcelona progress

Comfortably outclassed, Celtic eventually ended this game with some credit due to spirited defending, and a gritty show of resilience. The margin of defeat was kept to a single goal by some stioc defending and exceptional goalkeeping from Artur Boruc, who recovered from his all to obvious nervous start.

Barcelona's manager Frank Rijkaard, had decided to leave out some of the players who started the first match and this suggested he presumed victory. This could have been interpreted as an insult to Celtic, however it would take just two minutes to vindicate his decision and effectively kill the tie.

Seemingly intent on erasing Saturday's 4-1 defeat by Atletico Madrid, Barcelona started at a whirlwind tempo and it was clear Celtic would again would struggle to cope with the swift movement, and passing of Barcelona. Deco and Ronaldinho both went close with great efforts, but Barcelona just couldn't get the goals they threatened.

After the scary opening for Celtic, in which they survived at keeping the score to 1-0, the game played out in a similar though less intense manner, with Celtic spending their time keeping Barcelona at bay and eventually achieving for them a creditable showing against one of Europes top sides.

Celtic 2-3 Barcelona

The Bhoys get a UEFA Champions League lesson from Barcelona, as Messi's class tells

Barcelona are now favourites to advance to the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League after Lionel Messi scored twice in a 3-2 win at Celtic Park. Celtic now have to go to Barcelona in a fortnight and score twice without reply, which would seem on the evidence of this game a most unlikely feat.

Celtic had twice taken the lead through Jan Vennegoor and Barry Robson, but their efforts were cancelled out by Barcelona's Messi and Thierry Henry respectively. Overall Barcelona richly deserved their win as they displayed a footballing masterclass at times. Celtic at varying stages, could not cope with Barcelona's rapid passing and posession football and scored their first goal very much against the run of play. Indeed, after regaining the lead for the second time, Barcelona very quickly scored to get back in the game. Just when the Scottish champions looked set to hold on for a draw, Argentina star Messi grabbed a late winner for Barcelona to inflict Celtic's first Champions League home defeat since 2004.

Overall Barcelona deserved the victory, and are now firm favourites to advance to the last sixteen and indeed will be one of the favourites to lift the UEFA Champions League trophy.

Barcelona vs Celtic: Larsson can't wait

Old Bhoy Larsson can't wait for Barcelona at Celtic

Henrik Larsson has told of his delight at tonights game, and of his split loyalties in who to choose as victors in the UEFA Champions League tie.

"When they told me the draw for the quarter-finals of the Champions League, I just couldn't believe it," he said. "For Celtic and Barcelona to meet again was such a surprise. But it will be a nice match between two great teams for whom I have a lot of affection."

Larsson was a major success at Barcelona and Celtic, being part of the Celtic team that knocked Barcelona out of the UEFA Cup in 2003, and then a year later playing for the Barcelona team that knocked Celtic out of the Champions League.

Barcelona: Eto'o backs Rijkaard

Eto'o gives under pressure Rijkaard his backing as the Parkhead hothouse looms

Samuel Eto'o gave beleagured Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard a major boost today ahead of their UEFA Champions League game with Celtic, by giving him his unqualified backing, and dismissing the dutchman's critics. In an outburst against the media frenzy to replace Barcelona's manager, Eto'o derided those calling for his head;

"It's a total lack of respect and I find it incomprehensible that people should be questioning Frank Rijkaard, particularly at this stage of the season," argued Eto'o. "Rijkaard came to this club when they were in the middle of a long spell without trophies and Barca suddenly went on to win practically everything. Now we'll go back to winning practically everything again if people just let him and us get on with our work".

This is a major rebuff in particular to Johan Cruyff, who has been talking up the qualities of Rijkaard's supposed successor, Marco Van Basten. Rijkaard is banned from the touchline for the Champions League game against Celtic

European Champions League Draw in Full

The draw has just been made and there's some absolutely cracking ties!!!!

Celtic v Barcelona;
Lyon v Manchester United;
Schalke v FC Porto;
Liverpool v Inter Milan;
Roma v Real Madrid;
Arsenal v AC Milan;
Olympiakos v Chelsea;
Fenerbahce v Sevilla.

Arsenal vs AC Milan is one for the purists, while Liverpool vs Inter Milan will be one of the great European nights. Celtic vs Barcelona is another one I can't wait for. There's great nights of football to be watched on the 19th February!!!

Premiership Transfer Rumours

We've done a scan of the football gossip pages and the latest transfer rumours to do the rounds are:

Various sources are reporting Jose Mourinho is holding 'secret' talks with the Football Association to replace Steve McLaren.

Another transfer rumour concerns poor Michael Owen's injury prone fall from grace continues - he's being linked with Manchester City who are set to make an £8m move for Newcastle's England striker in January. (various)


Chelsea will off-load the biggest show pony in the Premier League by allowing striker Andriy Shevchenko to on loan apparently to follow Beckham to the MLS in the States. How appropriate. That one from the Mirror. Still on Chelsea the Sun is reporting Didier Drogba want his knee op straight away while Chelsea want him to delay it.

The Star has two transfer rumours. One that the newest Premier League manager, Alex McLeish wants to sign Sheffield United's Gary Naysmith in January. The other is that Chelsea reckon they will snatch Bolton's Nicolas Anelka for a cool 15 mill in the transfer window.

Blackburn pair Benni McCarthy and Robbie Savage have held talks with Mark Hughes with both increasingly frustrated picking splinters out their rear end of a Saturday afternoon. (Mail)
Brentford boss Terry Butcher has been given one match to save his job. (Sun)

Down into the Championship transfer rumours are circulating in the Mail that QPR have agreed a £2m deal for Sunderland's Daryl Murphy (though I have seen Roy Keane deny this elsewhere) and also a £150,000 move for Watford's Gavin Mahon. (Mail). Elsewhere Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is ready to launch a £1.5m bid for Derby striker Steve Howard. (Sun)

Up in sunny Scotland the rumours are that Celtic have apparently agreed to sell striker Derek Riordan in January and spark a chase for his services. (The Record) The Scottish Sun is reporting further rumours that Celtic manager Gordon Strachan will be given enough money for four new players in the January transfer window which should put a smile on his face.