Martin Bain at Rangers says that the club may be the only competitor in this season's Champions League that has not made a single signing. The last time a member of the Old Firm did not sign a player, it worked out well. After their defeat in Seville in 2003, Celtic signed no permanent players (Michael Gray was brought from Sunderland on loan) and promptly qualified for the Champions League, dropped down to the Uefa Cup and only lost at the quarter-final to Villarreal. Celtic won the league and the cup in what was Larsson's last season. Can Rangers do likewise?
Massimo Donati has played his last match for Celtic after joining Bari in Serie A.
Monday, 31 August 2009
Europa League Draw (by Johnny Steen)
Celtic were drawn in group C of this the inaugural Uefa Europa League (UEL) alongside Hamburger SV, Hapoel Tel-Aviv and Rapid Wien. Hamburg will be keener than any other side to progress as the UEL final is in their stadium next May. Though at first glance the draw looks a difficult one for Celtic, the fixtures have come out well for them. Celtic begin in Israel against Hapoel and have two home games to follow against Rapid Vienna and Hamburg. Tony Mowbray will probably know by that time just how strong the group is.
Celtic have played all three teams once before. In 1984 Celtic met Rapid Vienna in the second round of the ECWC. A goal by Brian McClair in Austria gave Celtic a priceless away goal in the 3-1 defeat. Celtic beat Rapid 3-0 in Glasgow but the Austrians protested that one of their players, Weinhofer, had been struck by a bottle in the second half. Although a bottle had been thrown from the Jungle, it had not landed near any players. Uefa upheld the complaint and fined Celtic. However, the Austrians were not finished: they appealed and demanded that the match be replayed. Astonishingly, Uefa doubled the fine dished out to Rapid but instructed a play-off. The conditions of the play-off included that the match should take place at least 100 miles from Celtic Park. Celtic should have withdrawn from the tournament at this point but instead the whole affair was turned in to a grudge match. Celtic played the game at Old Trafford, Manchester and lost 1-0 to a goal scored by Rapid's current manager, Peter Pacult. At the end of that match a Celtic supporter was seen kicking one of the Rapid players as they ran up the tunnel. When Uefa were finished, Celtic were instructed to play their next European tie at Celtic Park behind closed doors. (That match was a 1-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid in September 1985.) The Celtic manager at the time, Davie Hay, has described the episode as 'the biggest act of deception I ever witnessed in football'.
In 1996/97 season Celtic played Hamburg in the Uefa Cup and promptly lost both matches 2-0 for a 4-0 aggregate defeat. In 1999 Celtic beat Hapoel 2-0 at Celtic Park and 1-0 in Israel. Henrik Larsson scored all three goals.
Celtic have played all three teams once before. In 1984 Celtic met Rapid Vienna in the second round of the ECWC. A goal by Brian McClair in Austria gave Celtic a priceless away goal in the 3-1 defeat. Celtic beat Rapid 3-0 in Glasgow but the Austrians protested that one of their players, Weinhofer, had been struck by a bottle in the second half. Although a bottle had been thrown from the Jungle, it had not landed near any players. Uefa upheld the complaint and fined Celtic. However, the Austrians were not finished: they appealed and demanded that the match be replayed. Astonishingly, Uefa doubled the fine dished out to Rapid but instructed a play-off. The conditions of the play-off included that the match should take place at least 100 miles from Celtic Park. Celtic should have withdrawn from the tournament at this point but instead the whole affair was turned in to a grudge match. Celtic played the game at Old Trafford, Manchester and lost 1-0 to a goal scored by Rapid's current manager, Peter Pacult. At the end of that match a Celtic supporter was seen kicking one of the Rapid players as they ran up the tunnel. When Uefa were finished, Celtic were instructed to play their next European tie at Celtic Park behind closed doors. (That match was a 1-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid in September 1985.) The Celtic manager at the time, Davie Hay, has described the episode as 'the biggest act of deception I ever witnessed in football'.
In 1996/97 season Celtic played Hamburg in the Uefa Cup and promptly lost both matches 2-0 for a 4-0 aggregate defeat. In 1999 Celtic beat Hapoel 2-0 at Celtic Park and 1-0 in Israel. Henrik Larsson scored all three goals.
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