Champions League: Barcelona 2-1 Celtic – Alba Breaks Bhoys Hearts At The Nou Camp (Photos & Highlights)

Alan Duffy

23rd, October 2012

12 Comments

By Alan Duffy

Barcelona v Celtic – Champions League – 23rd October 2012

Poor old Celtic came within a Catalonian whisker of pulling off a magnificent draw in the Camp Nou/Nou Camp on Tuesday evening, only for a late late strike from Spanish Spoilsport Jordi Alba to win the game for Barca.

Neil Lennon’s charges went ahead on 18 minutes after Javier Mascherano deflected a Georgios Samaras header past the helpless Victor Valdes. And despite the expected onslaught, the Scottish side held firm up until the very last minute of the first-half, when he of ghostly pallor and magic feet, Andres Iniesta, levelled the scores for the home side.

After the break, Fraser Forster produced a number of superb stops to keep the Bhoys in the game, only for full-back Alba to finally make the breakthrough, finishing off Adriano’s centre to break Celtic hearts. Still, a fine display and one to give the SPL giants a right boost, as will the fact that, with Benfica losing away to Spartak Moscow, they find themselves in second place in Group G.

Photos…

Highlights…

Photos: PA

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12 Comments

  1. Nuno says:

    Didn’t watch the game but, according to UEFA, Barça got a whopping 90% ball possession! That’s got to be a record, even for them…(and 26 shots, 13 on goal)

  2. Jarren says:

    Really bad luck, Celtic.

    Although as Nuno has correctly stated, according to the UEFA stats Barcelona had 90% possession.

    That’s right, for 81 minutes Barcelona literally played with themselves.

    Combined with those 26 attempts and 15 corners (Celtic did manage to win one solitary corner), it’s amazing the score wasn’t a whitewash.

    So maybe it’s less a case of bad luck Celtic, more a case of lucky Celtic?

    Going by those stats, a 2-1 defeat is a bloody miracle.

  3. gvb says:

    according to the stats, Xavi completed 169 passes with 93% accuracy. Celtic completed 182.

  4. mcfc says:

    Should have been 1-1. Where the ref pulled 4 minutes extra time out of, I don’t know. They were very unlucky. Football isn’t won with possession, its won with goals. Try to remember that.

  5. Nuno says:

    @mcfc
    You should also bear in mind that Celtic’s goal was actually an own goal and that they barely created any goal opportunity. Barcelona on the other hand had some 4 or 5 clear goal chances. I don’t think you deserve to tie a game 1-1 not having really created any danger.

  6. Dusty says:

    What a fucking night that was. I’ve never been in a packed bar that was so quiet during a footie match, everyone just staring at the screens, holding their breaths and then clapping like mad everytime a Celt got a foot in or made a block. So proud to be a tim, heroic performance and to lose in the 4th minute of injury time is just too cruel.

    But we’ve sent out a real message after that, to everyone that wrote us off before a ball had been kicked in this group. Remember that ITV tweet “Goodbye Celtic…”, I fuckin do. Plenty of humble pie being eaten out there I hope. Celtic are back on the big stage and we’re not here to make up the numbers either.

    Was also brilliant to see loads of hoops in amongst the Barca crowd – anyone notice the Barca fans flying the catalan flag with the tricolour on the same pole? The girlfriend also said she seen a Barca fan with his kid on his shoulders wearing the hoops. Brilliant.

    Can’t wait for Round 2 at Paradise already.

  7. Paul Kirkland says:

    Totally agree with @mcfc, how in the world was there four minutes stoppage (el fergie time perhaps?)

  8. Miguel - NYC says:

    It was a miracle that it was 2 – 1.
    Why r so many people happy to have their team park their bus in front of their goal? The only thing celtic showed is that they can play defense. And they were lucky their goalie was their best player.
    Besides almost tying Barca, what good does it do to the team or fans?
    Rubin Kazan went to Barcelona and beat Barcelona trying to do something else besides parking the bus. That’s something to be proud of.
    Losing in the final minutes of the game after you played the way celtic did is not “unlucky”…it was a well deserved win for Barca. Hopefully Celtic will have more pride at home and try to put more than 3 passes together, but I doubt it.

  9. Jim Broadbent says:

    @Miguel – NYC
    You’re a very naïve person if you can believe what you are spouting. Going to barcelona and defending is nothing to be ashamed of. Ask Alex Ferguson if he regrets going to Camp Nou and defending in 2008. It helped them win the champions league. Chelsea won the champions league last year defending like Celtic. You must not watch enough football. Celtic didn’t have the tools to go on the attack. Why is it alright for Man Utd and Chelsea. Oh I know. Its cos you don’t rate Celtic. Maybe its because of people like you that the MLS is so dire. They import has-beens to entertain you. No tactical awareness.

  10. Nuno says:

    @Miguel – NYC
    Partly because most people are tired of Barça’s playing style. I already can’t stand watching a whole game of passing sideways and backwards. As far as Barça’s games are concerned I can only bother to watch the highlights in the end of the game, because they DO make great plays (first goal was very good).
    Teams already know they can’t win head-to-head (only a couple of teams can play like that against Barça, like Real or Bayern), so teams less technically-gifted will obviously sit deep and watch Barça pass sideways and backwardss, with no risk in the pass at all. Problem is the teams then fall asleep to that boring style and Barça eventually scores.

  11. XYZZZ says:

    90% possession??? You guys are right morons.
    It was 73 % – as compared to 82% when Barca lost to chavsea or an average of 72% when Barca plays La Liga teams at home

  12. Nuno says:

    @XYZZZ moron
    UEFA had 90% on their site on Tuesday. They changed it now to 74% (which is indeed much more plausible, but it WAS stated 90% before)

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