Oh they're a grand old team to play for

Ailsa's gone over there hasn't she?

The observer tv guide was bang on in their article on it on sunday:

'Celtic's progress to the UEFA cup final should gladden the hearts of all football fans, not just devotees of those famous green-and-white hooped shirts. For any sport to remain compelling, the unexpected needs to happen sometimes, and Martin O'Neill's side's feat in setting up this date with destiny has been a huge, but glorious, surprise.....Celtic's success in beating all of them (i.e. blackburn, celta vigo, stuttgart and Liverpool)has been perhaps the most fascinating story in British football this last season, although Anglo-centric 'national' newspapers have shamefully failed to give the Glaswegians the recognition, or coverage, their displays deserved. With luck, tonight the BBC commentary team will enlighten their viewers by unravelling the mystery of how a side that is constrained in every sense by playing in Scotland is now in a Eurpoean final.'

I can't wait!

Even if they lose it's been great for Scottish football and it's amazing to see the numbers of fans who've gone over. They said this morning on the BBC that 1% of worldwide air travel was Celtic fans.

Option 1: want Celtic to win on account that the Scots are our friendly fluffy little neighbours and our friends (yes I know they hate us but we're big enough to take their bitterness on the chin).

Option 2: want Celtic to lose on account of how they are the Scots and our natural enemies (and also because I'm feeling very positively disposed towards our Portuguese chums right now).

So: to support patronisingly or to oppose respectfully?

Yes, I think I owe it to my Scottish chums to want their rotten teams to lose.

Alisa was indeed there, i saw her on her way out. Apparently she'd been offered £650 for her £20 ticket...

Total confusion reigned over the silver goal thing though (the commentary was loud, but the punters were louder, so the subtleties of Gary'n'Barry's explanation were lost). Most of us thought: ahead after 105mins = win, thereafter sudden death. We thought Porto's third was it. Which, after a bit more rolling around from Porto's horribly stricken players, it was.

That's why I wanted them to win.

Deco was indeed fantastic, that flick in the first half was something special. Shame he's off to Juve.

(and celtic were lucky to get away with that shoulder charge tackle in extra time 2nd period)

that porto goalie has been made an offer by Swan Lake Utd i hear

This is probably an unsupportable position, so please do not ask me to justify it. It is based on blind prejudice.

Davies was quick to point out that "if we were controoooooooolling the pictures.....you wouldn't be seeing this i can assure you". Obviously it's those promiscuous Spaniards.

Referees need to be shown a video of players genuinely injured and players just faking it so they can spot the different nuances. They should then be tested, and if they get 75% right they should be able to book players for not just diving but also faking injury.

Anyone else read "A Season with Verona"? It's very good.

Even if they win, it may still not be enough. In some ways I would love it to be a draw, so it gets finished in a playoff.

At least Alan Thompson won't feel so bad.

Ally C to thread?

And what happened in the tunnel?

i) shit, we have to play in the nou camp without a decent goalie (or rab douglas)
ii) that Ronaldhino's quite good, isn't he?
iii) Stephen Pearson taking on three world class defenders at a time AND BEATING THEM!?!?!?!
iv) how the hell their right back didn't join Motta and Saviola in the overcrowded early bath, I have no idea
v) Barcelona fans are morons (well the ones cheering during the minute's silence were anyway)
vi) Alan Thompson's gone a bit shit, hasn't he
vii) that was the best opportunity we could have had to put a couple of goals past them and make the return leg a bit tough for them
viii) 74 conscutive games unbeaten at home. This now includes Barcelona as well as Juventus, Ajax, Stuttgart, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and, er, Ross County.

I have no idea what happened in the tunnel. But I'm sure someone will tell me.

1. young marshall haha did ok, never really had to do anything I guess. still a young boy etc!! baby faced.
2. I don't rate ronaldinho at all based on the denilson principle: 'all hype, no incident' but tonight he was like one of those squirmy balls of mercury you played with in chemistry, all glittery and elusive, some of the things he can do with a football. wow.
3. pearson was outstanding and haha referred to himself after the match as still 'a rookie' at this level!
4. aye, reiziger should've been sent off fr his deep (i.e. quite a lunge which caught pearson right up the thigh, quite sorely it looked) challenge on pearson. caught him full across the thigh.
5. they got booed! it ws bad form. couldn't really tell it ws barca fans from the telly and ws a bit worried it ws celtic fans but aye not good.
6. whattafinish! haha I never rated him either : /
7. we shoulda scored more goals but still I can see us scoring at the NOOOOO camp. which would mean they'd have to score 3. don't try it! etc.
8. there's not a team left in this competition (europe? even arsenal? I think so!) that celtic should be scared of when they come to celtic park.
9. could be barca -> villareal (!!) -> gencerbriglgiginging (!!!) -> inter (INTER o the romance!)... I can only really say '!!!!'
10. omg.
11. what happened in the tunnel is still not v. clear, ailsa. but you can kinda see bobo talking to motta, motta hitting bobo and douglas crossing over and hitting motta (haha motta!). he also tried to come back outside to watch the game and ws told 'NO, yr a threat to disorder!'
12. BARCAWHO?!?! (cf. 10)

2) I know of only 4 pubs that showed it. Bloody nightmare trying to find somewhere with Celtic TV. I have found the bestest Celtic pub in N London though, but am keeping it a sekrit. Missed the first half anyway...bloody Appletree advertised it, confirmed to a real person that it was on, but wasn't aware that Sky block BBC Scotland's signal in England for these games.

3) I thought we'd be beaten convincingly. We really should have been; they should have had a few at least. I don't think 1-0 is enough, but then I' thought we'd be lucky to get anything. 1-0 is a good score in many respects; one goal over there means Barca can score three. Predictability will be resumed, or the celts will get their greatest result in Europe for decades...

4) Thanks to the Dulwich Hamlet Supporters Trust fr inviting me to their AGM the night of the second leg. And well done to me for saying yes.

I hope that they knock their opponents out; and that they win a trophy this season.

I presume you are not talking about the magnificent result against Motherwell, by the way.

I hope that they win a trophy. Don't you?

but they will win a trophy.

However, I pretty much know they will win the league, I would love them to win the UEFA Cup, and I am reasonably confident of the Scottish Cup (she said cautiously).

whattaplayer that young miller is.

I don't think I've seen such a good passing side at celtic park.

situation normal then going to villareal. I'd rather it was 1-1 than 2-1 (celtic) because a villareal team which is on defense setting (defending their away goal) is probably a little less nippy than one which has to go out and get a goal. (you get the feeling they wouldn't stop at one.)

and maybe it was a hand-ball. but deliberate?!

these are a good outfit though.

young keeper (reina) almost bald at 21 too!

Alan Thomson is suspended for the return, so I hope Liam Miller gets his place.

I am making no predictions at all as to the second leg result though.

Kilmarnock Road's finally quiet again.

Tick... tick... tick...

Canvey Island won the Dr Martens League last weekend.