This was Celtic’s first-ever Champions’ League group match and it ended in controversy.
Both sides had lost important players in the days leading up to the game on this day in 2001- Lubo Moravcik (Celtic) to injury and Pavel Medved (Juventus) to suspension – but it was still a keenly-awaited encounter and on the night, 43,017 crowded into the Stadio Nuovo Communale in Turin for the occasion.
Celtic were represented by Douglas, Valgaeren, Balde, Thompson, Lambert, Lennon, Petrov, Mjallby, Agathe, Sutton and Larsson.
It turned out to be an exciting match. In 43 minutes, Juventus took the lead through striker David Trezeguet; and in 55 minutes, Trezeguet gave Juventus a 2-0 lead. Celtic, however, got back into the game in 67 minutes when, from a free-kick by Henrik Larsson, Stylian Petrov’s low drive was deflected in.
Juventus were holding on but then lost Edgar Davids to a second yellow and Celtic took advantage of the extra man to snatch an equaliser, Larsson scoring from the penalty spot after Chris Sutton had been pulled down.
However, just when it looked like Celtic would go away with a point, Joos Valgaeren was adjudged to have up-ended Nicola Amaruso with only two minutes left and a penalty was awarded.
The Celtic fans in the crowd were furious with the referee; on the pitch, the players were quick to crowd round him and express their anger; at the side of the field, Martin O’Neiil expressed his ire to the fourth official, too vociferously in the opinion of the man-in-charge and he was sent to the stand.
After some time, things settled down sufficiently for the penalty to be taken and it was the player reputedly brought down – Nicola Amaruso – who stepped forward to slot the penalty home to give Juventus a 3-2 win.
NB. Some 20 years previously, on 30 September 1981, Celtic had met Juventus in the European Cup at the original Stadio Communale. Celtic were represented on the night by Bonner, Moyes, Reid, Aitken, McAdam, MacLeod, Provan, Sullivan, McGarvey, Burns and McCluskey but while they gave a good account of themselves, the Italians proved the stronger and won 2-0.
Jim Craig
