Celtic fans will all remember the night where they overcame Barcelona at Parkhead as a monumental one. The Hoops had it all to do in their Champions League campaign when they were drawn against the Catalan giants as well as Benfica and Spartak Moscow. However, Neil Lennon’s side pulled off the spectacular and qualified as runners-up.
Full time: Celtic 2 (Hooper 21, Commons 82 pen) Spartak Moscow 1 (Ari 39) and full time in the Nou Camp 0-0 …Celtic are in the last 16!
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) December 5, 2012
The Bhoys had it all to do in that Champions League campaign. After overcoming both HJK Helsinki and Helsingborgs IF in the qualifying rounds the media didn’t expect the Glasgow side to go much further. They certainly didn’t make it easy for themselves either as they drew 0-0 against Benfica in their opening game, however, doing the double over Spartak certainly helped.
The Russian side would ultimately do the Hoops a huge favour, though, as they mustered a 2-1 win over Benfica which ultimately saw the Bhoys progress in the end after six group stage games. That was now over seven six years ago, and the Hoops haven’t come close to progressing since. The following season saw the Parkhead faithful finish dead bottom of the group as they again faced Barcelona, yet they couldn’t sneak past Ajax or AC Milan, and their European anguish continues to this very day.
You can read the Hoops thoughts on that famous European campaign here:
@celticfc brilliant effort, immense achievement
— Mark Rendell (@markorendell) December 5, 2012
@celticfc great celtic!!!!! one scottish equipe in the next round of champions league! 🙂
— Marco Molinaro (@marco_geom) December 5, 2012
https://twitter.com/ScottCalderhead/status/276445033979322368
@celticfc Awesome result, standing strong when it counts.
— chris edge (@chrisedge68) December 5, 2012
@celticfc well done the hoops ya beltar
— Edward Rice (@GreenmeenyRice) December 5, 2012
@celticfc congratulations to #neillennon and all the #celticfamily
— Diane dorrans (@kimmedi) December 5, 2012
@celticfc Yessssssssss !!!
— #TeamTheMightyI (@gallagherleaks) 5 December 2012
That night against Spartak, and that whole Champions League season, will go down in history with the Hoops, and who can blame them.
