"You can never switch off for a second'' - Can Celtic Stop Messi Again?
The Scottish champions stunned their Spanish
counterparts at Celtic Park back in 2012 and will
now look to repeat their success in this season's
Champions League
There is no tougher question in football: How do
you stop Lionel Messi?
The former Celtic manager Neil Lennon has an
answer, because his most famous moment as a
coach came in the Champions League on
November 18, 2012, when Celtic had 11 per cent
of the possession according to some analysts but
defeated Barcelona 2-1 at Celtic Park.
Now coached by Brendan Rodgers, Celtic are
facing the same task once again. The Argentine
will be reunited with Luis Suarez and Neymar
for the first time this season when the Scottish
champions visit Camp Nou on Tuesday.
“There is no secret, trying to get to him,” Lennon
told Goal. “Try and make him play with his back
to goal. Because once he gets on the half-turn
and finds the pockets of space, then you are in
trouble.”
There are other factors, too, said Lennon. “You
always need a bit of fortune, and you need your
goalkeeper to play very well.”
They did have luck on their side when two
Barcelona efforts hit the crossbar and post. The
Spaniards had 25 shots to Celtic’s three.
And goalkeeper Fraser Forster was so good
Mundo Deportivo called him ‘The Great Wall’.
Forster even created Celtic’s second goal, pulling
off a save before hoisting a long ball upfield
which Xavi failed to control before Tony Watt
scored.
Celtic stood firm and although Messi finally
scored in stoppage time, Barcelona were beaten.
Rod Stewart, a lifelong Celtic fan watching in the
stands, was reduced to tears.
In both of the Group G games against Celtic
that year, Messi had a remarkable 111 touches.
He was close to scoring several times in the first
game at Camp Nou, which Barca won 2-1 with a
stoppage-time goal. At Celtic Park, though,
those 111 touches led to only one clear chance -
his late consolation goal.
counterparts at Celtic Park back in 2012 and will
now look to repeat their success in this season's
Champions League
There is no tougher question in football: How do
you stop Lionel Messi?
The former Celtic manager Neil Lennon has an
answer, because his most famous moment as a
coach came in the Champions League on
November 18, 2012, when Celtic had 11 per cent
of the possession according to some analysts but
defeated Barcelona 2-1 at Celtic Park.
Now coached by Brendan Rodgers, Celtic are
facing the same task once again. The Argentine
will be reunited with Luis Suarez and Neymar
for the first time this season when the Scottish
champions visit Camp Nou on Tuesday.
“There is no secret, trying to get to him,” Lennon
told Goal. “Try and make him play with his back
to goal. Because once he gets on the half-turn
and finds the pockets of space, then you are in
trouble.”
There are other factors, too, said Lennon. “You
always need a bit of fortune, and you need your
goalkeeper to play very well.”
They did have luck on their side when two
Barcelona efforts hit the crossbar and post. The
Spaniards had 25 shots to Celtic’s three.
And goalkeeper Fraser Forster was so good
Mundo Deportivo called him ‘The Great Wall’.
Forster even created Celtic’s second goal, pulling
off a save before hoisting a long ball upfield
which Xavi failed to control before Tony Watt
scored.
Celtic stood firm and although Messi finally
scored in stoppage time, Barcelona were beaten.
Rod Stewart, a lifelong Celtic fan watching in the
stands, was reduced to tears.
In both of the Group G games against Celtic
that year, Messi had a remarkable 111 touches.
He was close to scoring several times in the first
game at Camp Nou, which Barca won 2-1 with a
stoppage-time goal. At Celtic Park, though,
those 111 touches led to only one clear chance -
his late consolation goal.
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