2004-11-24: Barcelona 1-1 Celtic, Champions League

Team news
All Celtic need to do to make it to the last 16 is trounce Barcelona and AC Milan in their remaining two games. No problem. Martin O'Neill makes just one change from the side that was beaten by Rangers at Castle Greyskull at the weekend – Henri Camara makes way for Didier Agathe, who has recovered from injury.
Barcelona, who tonked Real Madrid at the weekend, are without Celtic old boy Henrik Larsson, who is out for the rest of the season after picking up a serious knee injury.

Preamble: Here we are for a match which pits Barcelona (arguably the best team in Europe) against Celtic (on current form the second best team in Glasgow) in the – cliche alert! – simmering cauldron that is the Nou Camp stadium. Celtic can still progress from Group F, but would need a miracle to do so. With matches against Barcelona and AC Milan to come, they'll do well to finish ahead of Ukrainian outfit Shaktar Donetsk in the group and qualify for the Uefa Cup. The teams emerge from the tunnel, line up for all the usual pre-match niceties and Celtic go into their huddle.

1 min: Barcelona kick off playing from left to right as the camera looks at it. Deco has the first shot in anger from distance, but scews his drive well wide of the Celtic goal.

2 mins: Neil Lennon concedes a free just inside the Celtic half for a foul on Deco. He throws a minor tantrum but when the referee blows his whistle, but the official remains unmoved.

4 mins: "Prediction: Celtic to win 6-1, " writes Kevin Kennedy with considerable optimism. I'd settle for that though, as I've had a speculative tenner on them to win this match at the rather miserly odds of 14/1. Barcelona win a corner, which Deco swings towards the edge of the Celtic box. Joos Valgaeren heads clear, finding big John Hartson, who immediately loses possession.

6 mins: Ronaldinho picks out Silvinho on the left wing after a Celtic attack breaks down and the home side break. Valgaeren does well to track back and put Silvinho's cross out for a corner at the near post. Nothing comes of it.

8 mins: Barcelona attack again, but Juliano Belletti's cross is headed clear by Bobo Balde. Celtic are relying on scraps at the moment, as Barcelona are enjoying the lion's share of the possession and giving their visitors the runaround. Neil Lennon picks up a yellow card for reacting petulantly after Joos Valgaeren was penalised for fouling Ronaldinho.

13 mins: Not much in the way of exciting action to report with neither penalty area having been troubled with a visitor for over five minutes. Barcelona are continuing to make life difficult for Celtic, who haven't been given a chance to settle on the ball yet.

14 mins: A long-range effort from Samuel Eto'o cannons off Bobo Balde and goes out for a throw-in to Barcelona, deep in Celtic territory. Balde is being given a torrid time of it by the young Cameroon player, who is dragging him out of position to the left wing, so that Barcelona's midfield runners can exploit the big Bobo-shaped hole in the middle. Congratulations are in order for the big centre-half, by the way, as Mrs Balde gave birth in the last couple of days.

18 mins: Barcelona's relentless fannying around on the edge of Celtic's box continues, but stout defending form the Scottish champions means they're getting nowhere. Celtic finally get the ball out of their own half and Alan Thompson tries a shot from distance which, while on target, doesn't trouble Victor Vales unduly.

20 mins: Ludovic Giuly crosses into the Celtic box, but Stanislav Varga hacks clear before Ronaldinho can control the ball on the edge of the six-yard box.

22 mins: "Only 14/1 on Celtic winning?" enquires Kevin Brady. "Are you kidding? Should be at least 20/1. Where did you go – the Orange Flute Band Betting Shop?"

23 mins: Barcelona 1 – 0 Celtic Samuel Eto'o picks up the ball several yards outside Celtic's box, passes to Deco on the edge of it, continues his run, picks up the return pass and slots the ball comfortably past Magnus Henman from about 10 yards, despite a desperate last-ditch lunge from Joos Valgaeren.

26 mins: How did he miss? Wonderful play from Ronaldinho and Deco on the left sees the ball come hurtling towards Samuel Eto'o at the near post. Having stolen a yard on Bobo Balde, it seems all he needs to do to score is get any sort of touch on the ball, but he somehow contrives to send it wide.

29 mins: A Deco shot takes a wicked deflection off Stanislav Varga and briefly threatens to loop over Celtic goalkeeper Magnus Hedman's head and into the goal. Luckily for Celtic, Hedman keeps his wits about him and avoids embarrassment. On another subject entirely, please stop writing in to me to complain that the Arsenal/PSV commentary is blighted by technical problems. I've no more control over that than I have over a NASA space expedition.

34 mins: To the left of the Celtic box, Ronaldinho threads a centimetre-perfect pass in behind Joos Valgaeren towards the edge of the six-yard box, for Ludovic Giuly to sprint on to from the other side. Magnus Hedman gallops off his line and gets down and smothers the ball just before Giuly can poke it home.

37 mins: Rafael Marquez is booked for a late challenge that leaves Stanislav Varga lying on the ground looking aggrieved and holding his ankle. Moments later, Chris Sutton goes down in a heap after Carles Puyol's high foot connects with his face. Alan Thompson swings the ensuing free-kick into the Barcelona box from the left wing, but Barcelona clear.

40 mins: Magnus Hedman brilliantly stops a Samuel Eto'o effort from about 12 yards with his feet. For those of you who don't know, Hedman is married to a stunning Swedish pop-star. Then again, aren't we all?

42 mins: With a series of short passes, Ludovic Giuly, Deco and Samuel Eto'o manage to carve open the Celtic defence before squandering possession with all the hard work done. You get the feeling Barcelona could score at will here.

45 mins: Barcelona 1 – 1 Celtic Fantastic! John Hartson equalises almost on the stroke of half-time. Celtic won a free-kick wide on the left, Stilian Petrov put an inswinger across the edge of the six-yard box, the ball appeared to get a touch of Stanislav Varga's head, fell to John Hartson at the far post and – unmarked – he poked it home from about two yards out. He appeared to be a mile offside, but them's the breaks. Let's hope Celtic can build on this and that they haven't just riled the beast.

Half-time

45 mins: Celtic get the second half underway, completely blessed to be on level terms. For Barcelona, Rangers old boy Gio van Bronckhorst is on. It should go without saying that I'm not sure who he's replaced.

47 mins: Joos Valgaeren puts a Juliano Belletti cross out for a corner with an emphatic header. Nothing comes of it and Celtic win a throw-in deep in their own half when Ronaldinho allows the ball to Heskey off his shin and out of play. There's a sight you don't see every day.

49 mins: John Hartson wins a corner for Celtic off Oleguer, but Alan Thompson's delivery is poor. Barcelona clear.

51 mins: Celtic have probably enjoyed more possession in the last six minutes than they had in the entire first half. That's not saying much, though, and they're still not looking particularly threatening.

52 mins: Deco gets caught napping in midfield and somebody threads a through ball in to the Barcelona half for Alan Thompson to chase. He looks pedestrian compared to Oleguer, who comfortably beats him to the ball and passes back to his goalkeeper, Vales.

54 mins: Barcelona attack down the right, with Giuly, Belletti and Xavi all taking turns to try and breach the Celtic back-line. The defence stands firm and one sortie after another is repelled.

56 mins: "It's a grand old team to play for etc." The 7000 Celtic fans are making themselves heard in the cheap seats of the Nou Camp's top tier.

59 mins: Ronaldinho gets tackled for a late tackle on Joos Valgaeren and has a great laugh at the good of it. He's no oil painting, but he invariably plays with a smile on his face, which is more than can be said for a lot of his more terminally sullen brethren (yes you, Andy Cole!). Barcelona substitution: Giuly off, Iniesta on.

62 mins: Barcelona win a free-kick, just outside the D of the Celtic box. Ronaldinho sends a low drive through the wall, it bounces in front of Hedman, but the goalkeeper is equal to it.

64 mins: Barcelona attack again, down the left. Ronaldinho whips in a cross, which Joos Valgaeren heads clear.

65 mins: Celtic substitution: Varga hobbles off, Camara sprints on.

66 mins: Eto'o and Ronaldinho try to out-fox the Celtic backline once again, but Jackie McNamara thunders in and hacks the ball clear off the Brazilian's toe.

67 mins:Celtic win a free kick on the right flank, a good way into the Barcelona half. Alan Thomson sends a high ball towards the man-mountain that is John Hartson at the far post, but his inswinger is a bit too near Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Vales, who plucks it from the air.

69 mins: Under pressure from Jackie McNamara, Juliano Belletti tries a shot from a narrow angle, which goes high and wide. Celtic are still getting murdered 1-1.

72 mins: Celtic get a bit of respite, winning a throw-in deep in Barcelona territory. Neil Lennon tries to pick out John Hartson, who is penalised for fouling Rafael Marquez.

73 mins: Henri Camara leaves Silvinho in his dust as he pelts down the right wing after a long ball. He wins a corner, which Alan Thompson wastes by failing to take it from the right spot. What little possession they're getting, Celtic are giving away cheaply.

76 mins: Corner for Barcelona, after Valgaeren cuts out a low cross from Gio van Bronckhorst. Deco sends it out to Ronaldinho at the edge of the box and the Brazilian's ambitious volley sails over the bar. Always worth a try when you've as many tricks in the locker as Ronaldinho has.

79 mins: With AC Milan beating Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0, Celtic would go a point clear of the Ukrainian side in Group F if they can hang on for a draw here. That would leave them in pole position to qualify for the Uefa Cup. Samuel Eto'o attacks down the left and wins a throw for Barcelona deep in Celtic territory. Barcelona are passing the ball back and forth across the pitch, a few yards outside the Celtic box, looking for an opening.

83 mins: With the ball at his toe, Iniesta is sent through one-on-one with Magnus Hedman. He dilly-dallies , allowing Valgaeren to get back and dispossess him with a fine tackle. Iniesta goes down and appeals for a penalty. None is forthcoming. Moments later, Xavi tries to curl the ball into the top right-hand corner, but his good effort beats Hedman and lands on the roof of the Celtic goal.

86 mins: Celtic substitution: Alan Thompson off, Ross Wallace on.

88 mins: Ross Wallace wins a free-kick for Celtic, when Puyol fouls him wide on the left wing. Unbelievably, Celtic send nobody forward for it and merely play it into the corner to waste time. Hasn't anybody told them the trinket that is the Uefa Cup isn't worth winning these days?

90+1 mins: Barcelona attack down the right, but Samuel Eto'o just bounces off Bobo Balde, who stands firm. Neil Lennon hacks the ball clear and – Peep! Peep! Peep! – the referee blows for full-time. Celtic are out of the Champions League, but their players and fans are celebrating as if they've just won the tournament. The Uefa Cup beckons for them now … maybe. Woo hoo! It could be argued that it's small wonder Celtic never do well in the Champions League when they're so obviously content to settle for glorious failure, but this was a damned good result for them tonight.