The sections on either side of us are completely empty, whilst there is a secondary batch of Hoops fans, perhaps 1,000 or thereabouts, who are over to our right. Behind the opposite goal are the two UEFA banners we recently saw in the south side of Glasgow, the penalty for racist chanting. In Lazio’s case, that happened in the home game with Rennes. What home support there is, is congregated either side of the banners and along the right touchline.
Then Emma spies Nobu in the crowd, just a few rows in front of me, holding court and his camera with fellow-Celts in the crowd. Two minutes later, there is a hug and the two Bhoys from Yokohama and Springburn are reunited in Rome. He’s having a ball. It’s lovely to catch up and introduce him to Emma.
There is a huge roar as the Celtic players get a first look at the pitch, then again as they warm up. One or two are looking up as if to say, ‘What the…?’ This is one of the biggest away supports I can recall in Europe. There are few clubs globally who could achieve this. It is truly a unique, wonderful spectacle.
Finally, the game is underway and we haven’t started well. There is a goal coming and it is a real sore one to lose, Ciro Immobile completely unmarked at the far post to open the scoring with a cushioned volley within seven minutes.
The Italians go close again and it’s beginning to feel like a long night. We have never won on Italian soil. Jock’s great team played in Florence and Milan, losing to Fiorentina and Feyenoord in THAT final, whilst drawing with both San Siro tenants.
My first continental trip was to the old Stadio Comunale in Turin, back in September 1981. That’s a story in itself, told elsewhere.
In the ground, however, the atmosphere was nerve-tingling, one of the best I have ever experienced. Billy McNeill’s young side were up against it, despite a Murdo MacLeod goal giving us a precious first-leg lead.
Inspirational skipper, Danny McGrain, our one true world-class talent at that time, was out injured, teenage central defender, David Moyes, deputising at right-back. We fought hard but a Liam Brady-inspired Juventus, including half of the Italian side who would win the World Cup the following summer in their ranks, proved far too strong, goals from Virdis and Bettega finishing the tie by the interval, despite a heroic display from a youthful Pat Bonner.
In the intervening years, the best we could achieve in this football-mad country was a UEFA Cup draw in Udine and taking the eventual European champions, AC Milan, into extra-time in the Last 16 of the 2006/07 Champions League, before Kaka broke 10,000 Hooped hearts with a sublime run and finish, to net the only goal of the tie.
Celts are now settling into a bit of rhythm and ten minutes before the break, we have the best thing about a European awayday, the meaningful goal. And what a strike it is, James Forrest, here for Terry Munro as his song goes, bursts past his defender before firing a superb shot high into the far corner. It’s madness all around me, bodies falling over seats and general carnage. Celtic-supporting heaven.
