Artmedia’s next challenge would be much more daunting, at least on paper anyway. Former European Cup winners Celtic were second seeds behind Liverpool for the second qualifying stage, a tournament co-efficient of 63.5 dwarfing the Slovakians’ 4.850, UEFA Cup runners-up in 2003 and quarter-finalists in the same competition the following year, having knocked out favourites Barcelona.
It was true that the Scottish giants had lost the inspirational Henrik Larsson since then and had struggled in a ‘Group of Death’ in last season’s Champions League, finishing fourth behind AC Milan, Barcelona and Shakhtar Donetsk, however, only a last-minute collapse in Motherwell had forced Celtic to enter at this early stage, having gone directly into the Group phase in 2004/05. It was the proverbial ‘no-contest.’
The Slovakians’ main opportunity to progress would perhaps lie in the timing of the tie, in relation to the massive changes currently taking place at Celtic Park. New Hoops manager Gordon Strachan had worked tirelessly in his initial two months in the role, in trying to pull together and blend a squad comprising the remnants of the Martin O’Neill era with some new recruits.
With only a short pre-season and four friendly games to do so, ahead of the most important phase of the season, Strachan’s task was still very much a work-in-progress. With the dark clouds still hanging over the club following Black Sunday, the departure of a beloved manager and several key top-class players, as I look back at it now, Bratislava was an accident waiting to happen.
Nevertheless, Gordon Strachan was still able to field a side which to most Celtic observers looked well capable of handling the Slovakian champions. Resisting the urge to start his new Polish goalkeeper, Artur Boruc, it would be David Marshall, the hero of the Camp Nou, between the sticks.
The vastly experienced central defensive pairing of Stan Varga and Bobo Balde were both in there, behind a powerful midfield quartet of Stan Petrov, Neil Lennon, Chris Sutton and Alan Thompson.
New signing Maciej Zurawski was partnered up front with John Hartson. If there was a Celtic concern, it was at full-back, where the absence of the departed Jackie McNamara and the injured Didier Agathe meant competitive debuts for Paul Telfer and Mo Camara. This enforced choice would prove critical.
On a hot, balmy Bratislava evening, Gordon Strachan’s green-shirted Celts had made a reasonable start to the match before being dealt the first crushing blow, Chris Sutton coming off worse in a collision with Neil Lennon, a broken cheekbone ending the big Englishman’s participation in proceedings within 15 minutes. Aiden McGeady came off the bench, with Stan Petrov pushed inside, as the Celtic manager shuffled his pack.
His side had not played particularly well but were approaching the interval with the game still goalless before the first Slovakian incision, a pass from the halfway line catching Mo Camara sleeping, Blazej Vascak sliding the ball across the box for new striker Juraj Halenar to tap home, with Paul Telfer nowhere to be seen. It was schoolboy defending.
