| Match Pictures | Matches: 2011 – 2012 | 2011-2012 Pictures |
Trivia
- Celtic lost first game of Europa league group stage (we still can't win away from home).
- Celtic were reinstated despite last minute appeals from FC Sion who were expelled for fielding inelegible players.
- Brown & Stokes out injured.
Review
Celtic lost but it was still a good performance. Some bad luck but Athletico Madrid were the bettter side by a margin.
Encouraging but difficult….
Teams
Atletico Madrid:
Courtois, Perea, Godin, Miranda, Antonio Lopez, Turan, Mario Suarez, Diego (Tiago 84), Gabi (Adrian 70), Koke (Reyes 56), Falcao. Subs Not Used: Sergio Asenjo, Salvio, Pizzi, Dominguez.
Goals: Falcao 3, Diego 68. Booked: Gabi, Mario Suarez.
Celtic:
Forster, Mark Wilson (Matthews 80), Kelvin Wilson, Loovens, Mulgrew, Kayal, Ki, Ledley (Bangura 78), Hooper, Forrest (Commons 83), Samaras. Subs Not Used: Zaluska, George, Filip Twardzik, Wanyama.
Booked: Kayal, Loovens.
Att: 25,000
Ref: Peter Rasmussen (Denmark).
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Forum
MOTM
- Voting Thread
- Result Thread
- Winner –
- 2011-12 Winners
Stats
Athletico v Celtic
| Goals scored | 2 | 0 | |
| Attempts on target | 7 | 2 | |
| Attempts off target | 6 | 4 | |
| Corners | 7 | 2 | |
| Offsides | 1 | 4 | |
| Fouls committed | 13 | 12 | |
| Yellow cards | 2 | 2 | |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
Articles
Disappointment for Hoops in Madrid
Celticfc.net
By: Laura Brannan on 15 Sep, 2011 22:01 15 September 2011
UEFA Europa League
Vicente Calderon Stadium, Madrid
ATLETICO MADRID 2
(Falcao 3, Diego 68)
CELTIC 0
A strong performance by Celtic wasn’t enough to take the points from the opening Europa League match as Atletico Madrid ran out 2-0 winners at the Vicente Calderon Stadium.
The Hoops showed great composure but an early goal by Falcao put them on the back foot before they could settle into proceedings, and Diego killed the match midway through the second-half with a curling effort past Fraser Forster.
Neil Lennon had made three changes to the side which beat Motherwell at the weekend, bringing in Mark Wilson and Georgios Samaras as well as Glenn Loovens, who had missed almost two months through injury.
Despite showing attacking promise from kick-off, though, Celtic were dealt an early blow when Atletico Madrid took the lead after just three minutes. From an in swinging corner, Falcao jumped above Joe Ledley and headed it through the crowded box, into the back of the net.
The Hoops didn’t let their heads drop, though, and almost immediately hit the home side with another attack, this time with Beram Kayal and Gary Hooper linking up.
The pair played a quick one-two in front of the box, but the Englishman took too many touches and goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, blocked his attempt to slide the ball under his body.
Celtic were looking confident and Hooper had another chance when he broke from an Atletico defensive mistake, but with three defenders closing in on him he was unable to complete his run from the half-way line.
The Bhoys managed to retain possession and built up momentum with a series of good passing play in midfield, but it still wasn’t enough to break Atletico down. Diego came close on 34 minutes, unleashing a shot from outside the box, but Forster parried the danger away.
The rest of the first-half was played out with little chances in front of goal but within seconds of the second period starting, Celtic were close to drawing the game level.
Ki Sung Yueng forced the keeper to punch his strike, from the edge of the box over the bar, as he attempted to replicate his strike against Motherwell at the weekend.
He then had another opportunity to equalise when Mario Suarez brought Samaras down 30-yards from goal, but his free-kick was blocked by the wall.
Charlie Mulgrew had an opportunity with another free-kick on 67 minutes, this time from the opposite side of the box, but it went inches wide of the keeper’s left post.
Despite the hard-work by Celtic, though, Atletico pushed play to the opposite end of the pitch and against the run of play doubled their advantage on 68 minutes.
Antonio Lopez played the ball down the left flank to Arda Turan who spotted Diego with space inside the box. The striker was able to curl the ball around Forster and into the far corner, creating an uphill battle for the Hoops.
And despite trying effortlessly to pull a goal back, Celtic had to contend with Atletico’s constant attacks, with Forster tipping an Arda effort onto the bar eight minutes later.
James Forrest and Beram Kayal both hit shots over the bar at the opposite end, but Atletico grew in strength the more the clock ticked towards full-time and Forster pulled off another good save inside injury time to keep the scoreline at 2-0.
ATLETICO MADRID (4-4-2): Courtois; Perea, Godin, Miranda, Antonio Lopez; Koke (Calderon 56), Gabi (Lopez 70), Suarez Mata; Ardan Turan, Falcao, Diego (Mendes 83)
Subs not used: Asenjo, Salvio, Fernandes, Soto
CELTIC (4-4-1-1): Forster; M. Wilson (Matthews 78), Loovens, K. Wilson, Mulgrew; Forrest (Commons 82), Ki, Kayal, Ledley (Bangura 77), Samaras; Hooper
Subs not used: Zaluska, Wanyama, F. Twardzik, George
Atletico Madrid 2-0 Celtic Page last updated at 21:11 GMT, Thursday, 15 September 2011 22:11 UK
By Colin Moffat
BBC Scotland
Falcao headed Atletico Madrid into an early lead at the Vicente Calderon Celtic's Europa League group campaign opened with defeat as they failed to test Atletico Madrid in Spain.
Falcao took advantage of some slack marking to head the home side ahead from a third-minute corner.
Gary Hooper had an early effort blocked and, early in the second half, Ki Sung-yueng's powerful drive had to be tipped over the bar by Thibaut Courtois.
Atletico put the game beyond Celtic when Diego ran on to Arda Turan's cut-back to shoot home.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon can only dream of a transfer budget that could attract the likes of Falcao and Diego and the home side always appeared to have another gear as they built on the perfect start.
Not for the first time on their recent European travels, Celtic conceded a soft early goal.
A good sliding challenge from Charlie Mulgrew gave away a corner and Colombian striker Falcao ran between two defenders to powerfully head Diego's delivery home from 10 yards.
Celtic had a great chance to draw level just a few minutes later when Hooper exchanged swift passes with stand-in skipper Beram Kayal. However, Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois rushed out to block as the striker got the ball caught under his feet.
With the visitors camped deep in their own half, Atletico were able to patiently ping the ball around but were restricted to shots from distance by some stubborn, well-organised defending.
The busy Turan fizzed an effort narrowly wide and Diego had a fierce strike beaten away by Fraser Forster.
Celtic began the second half in positive fashion, with a 35-yard thunderbolt from Ki producing a good fingertip save from Courtois.
Mulgrew then curled a free kick wide but, just as Celtic appeared to have established a foothold in the game, they fell further behind on 68 minutes.
Turan skipped away from Mark Wilson and got to the bye-line before pulling the ball back for Diego to find the bottom corner of the net with a well-placed first-time strike.
Buoyed by the cushion of a second goal, Atletico rediscovered their earlier zip and Turan was denied a goal when Forster did really well to push the Turk's curling shot onto the junction of crossbar and post.
Celtic responded with strikes from Joe Ledley and Kayal, both rising too high to trouble Courtois.
Former Arsenal man Jose Antonio Reyes almost set up a late goal for the home side after a burst into the penalty box but Forster got a hand to Turan's shot and Kelvin Wilson was on hand to hack the ball clear as it rolled towards the goal.
Minute By Minute
Commentary
Events
End Time
The final whistle is blown.
90+3
Forster (Celtic) makes a save.
90+3
Arda Turan (Atlético) has an effort on goal.
Video
90+2
Tiago (Atlético) has a shot blocked.
90
Bangura (Celtic) is flagged for offside.
90
Bangura (Celtic) is flagged for offside.
89
Forster (Celtic) makes a save.
89
Tiago (Atlético) has an effort on goal.
Video
89
Reyes (Atlético) takes the corner.
88
Reyes (Atlético) has a shot blocked.
88
Reyes (Atlético) takes the free-kick.
88
Loovens (Celtic) is penalised for a foul on Falcao (Atlético).
87
Reyes (Atlético) takes the corner.
86
Falcao (Atlético) has a shot blocked.
Yellow Card
86
Loovens (Celtic) is cautioned by the referee.
85
Bangura (Celtic) is penalised for a foul on Miranda (Atlético).
84
Diego (Atlético) takes the corner.
Substitution
83
Tiago (in) – Diego (out) (Atlético)
83
Adrián López (Atlético) has a shot blocked.
Substitution
82
Commons (in) – Forrest (out) (Celtic)
80
Reyes (Atlético) is penalised for a foul on Forrest (Celtic).
Substitution
79
Matthews (in) – Wilson (out) (Celtic)
79
Kayal (Celtic) misses the target.
Video
Substitution
78
Bangura (in) – Ledley (out) (Celtic)
78
Ledley (Celtic) misses the target.
Video
78
Mulgrew (Celtic) takes the corner.
76
Diego (Atlético) takes the corner.
76
Forster (Celtic) makes a save.
76
Arda Turan (Atlético) has an effort on goal.
Video
75
Mario Suárez (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic).
Yellow Card
74
Kayal (Celtic) is booked.
74
Kayal (Celtic) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Godín (Atlético).
71
Kayal (Celtic) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Mario Suárez (Atlético).
Substitution
70
Adrián López (in) – Gabi (out) (Atlético)
Goal
68
Diego (Atlético) scores!
A tidy goal from Atlético. Antonio López flicks a pass through for Arda Turan who races towards the Celtic area from the left before cutting back to Diego whose side-footed finish gives goalkeeper Forster no chance.
Video
67
Mulgrew (Celtic) misses the target.
Video
66
Mulgrew (Celtic) takes the free-kick.
65
Gabi (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic).
64
Ledley (Celtic) has a shot blocked.
62
Samaras (Celtic) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Perea (Atlético).
61
Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic) has a shot blocked.
61
Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic) takes the free-kick.
Yellow Card
59
Mario Suárez (Atlético) is booked.
59
Mario Suárez (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Samaras (Celtic).
Substitution
56
Reyes (in) – Koke (out) (Atlético)
56
Falcao (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Loovens (Celtic).
55
Forster (Celtic) makes a save.
55
Diego (Atlético) has an effort on goal.
Video
55
Arda Turan (Atlético) takes the free-kick.
54
Wilson (Celtic) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Arda Turan (Atlético).
53
Gabi (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic).
52
Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic) misses the target.
Video
Yellow Card
51
Gabi (Atlético) is booked.
51
Gabi (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic).
50
Diego (Atlético) delivers the corner.
48
Samaras (Celtic) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Miranda (Atlético).
47
Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic) delivers the corner.
47
Courtois (Atlético) makes a save.
47
Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic) has an effort on goal.
Video
Start Time
The second half begins.
End Time
The referee blows for half-time.
44
Samaras (Celtic) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Perea (Atlético).
44
Arda Turan (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Mulgrew (Celtic).
41
Arda Turan (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Ledley (Celtic).
38
Mulgrew (Celtic) takes the free-kick.
37
Antonio López (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Forrest (Celtic).
36
Falcao (Atlético) misses the target.
Video
35
Samaras (Celtic) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Perea (Atlético).
35
Forster (Celtic) makes a save.
35
Diego (Atlético) has an effort on goal.
Video
33
Ki Sung-Yong (Celtic) takes the free-kick.
33
Mario Suárez (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Samaras (Celtic).
32
Antonio López (Atlético) misses the target.
Video
32
Antonio López (Atlético) takes the free-kick.
32
Wilson (Celtic) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Diego (Atlético).
31
Arda Turan (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Mulgrew (Celtic).
31
Kayal (Celtic) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Arda Turan (Atlético).
27
Samaras (Celtic) is adjudged to be in an offside position.
24
Gabi (Atlético) has a shot blocked.
21
Arda Turan (Atlético) misses the target.
Video
21
Diego (Atlético) delivers the corner.
20
Arda Turan (Atlético) is adjudged to be in an offside position.
16
Mario Suárez (Atlético) misses the target.
Video
16
Koke (Atlético) has a shot blocked.
14
Diego (Atlético) misses the target.
Video
8
Perea (Atlético) gives away a free-kick for a challenge on Samaras (Celtic).
6
Courtois (Atlético) makes a save.
6
Hooper (Celtic) has an effort on goal.
Video
6
Hooper (Celtic) is adjudged to be in an offside position.
Goal
3
Falcao (Atlético) scores!
Diego's corner from the right is met by the leaping Falcao whose downward header bounces past goalkeeper Fraser Forster to give last season’s tournament top scorer his first goal in an Atlético shirt.
Video
3
Diego (Atlético) delivers the corner.
2
Hooper (Celtic) fouls.
1
Diego (Atlético) misses the target.