| Match Pictures | Matches 2001–2002 | UEFA cup |
Review
This was a great great European night at Celtic Park. I remember how tense the atmosphere was and the noise inside the ground during the game. And the tension just rose further with the penalty shoot-out – I have to admit I couldn't watch the shoot out but I remember Canizares antics every time it was the Bhoys turn. And Larsson doing a Dixie………… we lost and were out of Europe ….. but what a game!!
Valencia went on in the next round to beat the Swiss side Servette 3-0 at home and draw 2-2 away to go through to the Quarter Finals with an aggregate score of 5-2. They were knocked out by Internazionale in the Quarters drawing 1-1 away to Inter but losing 1-0 at home.
Trivia
- Celtic lose on penalties 5-4, again!!
- Valencia were knocked out 2-1 on aggregate by Inter Milan in the quarter finals.
Teams:
Celtic:
Douglas, Balde, Mjallby, Valgaeren, Petrov, Lambert, Lennon, Moravcik (Sylla 55), Petta (Thompson 85), Larsson, Sutton, Sylla (Hartson 111).
Valencia:
Canizares, Ayala, Aurelio (Fagiani 67), Pellegrino, Carboni, Djukic, Torres (Angloma 46), Vicente, de los Santos, Aimar (Sanchez 83), Carew.
Subs Not Used: Palop, Baraja, Salva, Marchena.
Ref: Knut-Erik Fisker (Denmark).
Attendance: 57,299
Pictures
Match Report from PA
Celtic were cruelly denied a place in the UEFA Cup fourth round after a sudden-death penalty drama.
They have not been beyond Christmas in Europe for 20 years, but Henrik Larsson pulled them level on aggregate with his strike on the stroke of half-time to become the club's all-time top European scorer with 17 goals.
But the Spanish side won 5-4 in the sudden death penalty shoot-out after Joos Valgaeren's penalty was saved by Santigo Canizares and Ferrer Mista stepped up to send his side into the next round.
Manager Martin O'Neill's decision to pair Larsson with Chris Sutton and leave out weekend double-goal hero John Hartson almost brought them a first-minute goal.
The English striker sent the Swede away and he took the ball around the onrushing Canizares, but his shot lacked power and Mauricio Pellegrino got back to clear.
Valencia looked edgy at the back and the greasy conditions were making it more difficult for them.
Sutton came within inches of putting Celtic on level terms when Stilian Petrov threaded the ball through to Larsson who squared the ball to the English striker, but he fired just past the upright.
Celtic went close again a minute later when Larsson touched a free-kick into the path of Petrov and his right-foot effort took a deflection from the wall and flew just wide.
Valencia, however, came back into the game and had it not been for more heroics from goalkeeper Robert Douglas, who was brilliant in Spain, Celtic would have had a mountain to climb. The referee dubiously gave the visitors a free-kick after Johan Mjallby had made a fair tackle on Fabio Aurelio but the former Dundee keeper saved Ayala's shot by his right post.
Moments later and Douglas again needed to be at his agile best to save Aimar's header from Amedio Carboni's cross.
As the break approached Celtic seemed to lose some of their discipline and Lubo Moravcik was booked for a late challenge on Vicente, whose first leg goal still separated the two sides.
But just two minutes before the break the Slovakian had a glorious chance to put the home side in front on the night. The referee allowed Moravcik to play on after Larsson was brought down and the Slovakian ghosted past Vicente, but blazed his effort just over the bar with Canizares to beat.
But in the dying seconds of the half Larsson fired them in front on the in emphatic fashion to become the club's all-time top scorer in Europe – past Jimmy Johnstone – with 17 goals. Joos Valgaeren won a tackle on the edge of the box and the ball broke to Larsson, who coolly stroked the ball first time past Canizares and into the bottom corner.
With his job on the line, Valencia coach Rafael Benitez knew that he needed to lift his side after the break and chose to replace Curro Torres with Jocelyn Angloma. That seemed to inspire the Spaniards and just two minutes after the restart, Vicente's right-foot shot flew just past the upright.
Celtic needed to weather the early second-half onslaught and they were fortunate to be still in front on the night after the Spanish side went close on two occasions inside a minute.
Paul Lambert needed to get back to block Aimar's goalbound strike in the 51st minute after Vicente had got away from Valgaeren inside the Celtic half. Then just moments later Petta needed to clear De Los Santos' header from Aimar's corner off the line.
O'Neill decided to make a change of his own by bringing on the fresh legs of Momo Sylla for veteran Moravcik. Celtic came roaring back in a thrilling cup tie and Ayala and Carboni were both booked for dissent.
But the game continued to flow from end to end and Vicente's skills ripped apart the home defence and only another good save from Douglas denied him a glorious solo effort.
Valencia again made another change with Ferrer Mista coming on for Fabio Aurelio in the 67th minute before Douglas had to get down well to save Vicente's powerful right-foot strike.
But despite both teams' best efforts neither side could grab a vital goal to prevent the game from going into extra time.
Celtic had the first chance of the extra 30 minutes when Thompson cut inside Angloma and De los Santos and fired the ball across the face of goal to Larsson, whose effort beat Canizares but was cleared off the line by Pellegrino.
Valencia still looked dangerous on the break and Douglas needed to save Carew's shot at the second attempt.
Hartson almost won it with three minutes remaining when he flicked Sutton's pass goalward and only the diving save of Canizares prevented it from finding its way into the net. But the Welshman was on target in the penalty decider, along with Paul Lambert and Chris Sutton. Larsson, Petrov and Valgaeren missed from the spot giving Mista the chance to have the last laugh and deny Celtic more success.
Spot-kick agony for Celtic
BBB
Celtic 1-0 Valencia (Agg: 1-1 AET, 4-5 on penalties)
Goal machines Henrik Larsson and Stilian Petrov missed vital penalties as Celtic went out of the Uefa Cup after a thrilling battle with Valencia.
Larsson had cancelled out the Spanish side's 1-0 first-leg lead to level the tie on aggregate.
But he missed the chance to put Celtic into a commanding 3-1 lead in the shoot-out.
Midfielder Petrov had scored many from free kicks this season but also missed from the spot, as did Joos Valgaeren.
Celtic were out and have now failed to stay in European competition beyond Christmas for more than 20 years.
Manager Martin O'Neill had dropped John Hartson in favour of his tried-and-tested front partnership of Larsson and Chris Sutton.
Under-pressure Valencia coach Rafael Benitez had to do without Kily Gonzalez, David Albelda, Miguel Angel Angulo and Francisco Rufete.
Benitez switched to three centre backs instead of a normal back four in an attempt to thwart the expected early onslaught.
He was not disappointed, Petrov found Larsson breaking clear and the Swede's near-post pass was stabbed into the side netting by Sutton.
A free kick provided Valencia with their first chance after half an hour, but Fabian Ayala's drive was beaten away by goalkeeper Robert Douglas.
John Carew came close for Valencia with a clever bicycle kick, but Celtic's Lubo Moravcik squandered the best chance so far after 44 minutes.
The veteran Slovak slipped the ball between the legs of a defender, but he blasted the ball a foot over the bar from the edge of the box with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Larsson pounced just as Valencia looked to have survived until half-time.
Valgaeren poked the ball behind the defence and the Swede side-footed the ball into the far corner from 16 yards.
Pablo Aimar's powerful, 20-yard drive flew just wide and Bobby Petta cleared Gonzalo De Los Santos' header off the line as Valencia hit back after the break.
Larsson missed a glorious chance 10 minutes into extra-time when his attempt from six yards was cleared off the line after a superb run by substitute Alan Thompson.
Hartson came on for fellow substitute Momo Sylla and the Welsh striker's toe-poke from the edge of the box was turned round the post by Canizares.
The Spanish side's goalkeeper went on to be a major stumbling block for Celtic in the penalty shoot-out, with Ferrer Mista slotting home the winner.
Celtic: Douglas, Balde, Mjallby, Valgaeren, Petrov, Lambert, Lennon, Moravcik, Petta, Larsson, Sutton. Subs: Gould, Sylla, McNamara, Thompson, Hartson, Tebily, Maloney.
Valencia: Canizares, Ayala, Aurelio, Pellegrino, Carboni, Djukic, Torres, Vicente, de los Santos, Aimar, Carew. Subs: Palop, Baraja, Salva, Marchena, Sanchez, Angloma, Fagiani.
Referee: Knut-Erik Fisker (Denmark).