Has Celtic ever won the Champions League? Have they ever played Real Madrid?
The 22-23 UEFA Champions League group stage gets underway on Tuesday night and first up for reigning holders is a tricky away trip to Glasgow where Carlo Ancelotti’s men will face Scottish champions Celtic.
Both Celtic and Real Madrid have enjoyed excellent starts to their respective seasons and both clubs are some of few sides across the continent to boast a 100% opening to the 22-23 campaign. Celtic have recorded six wins from six with the last victory coming on Saturday as they put four past city rivals Rangers in the ‘Old Firm’ derby. Ange Postecoglou’s side have only shipped one goal in the league all season currently boasting a goal difference of +24.
Real Madrid too have flown out of the blocks and following their UEFA Super Cup win over Eintracht Frankfurt in Helsinki in mid August. The current LaLiga holders have won 4/4 in the league with the trickiest test coming last Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu where they were too strong for early pace setters Real Betis with Vini Jr. and Rodrygo getting the goals as part of a 2-1 win.
All the ingredients are in place for a enthralling 2022/23 Champions League clash at Celtic Park between two teams that form an elite group of European Cup winners.
Lisbon Lions
Real Madrid are 14 time winners of the European Cup/Champions League with Glasgow Celtic becoming the first side from the British Isles to lift the trophy with a 1967 Lisbon win over Inter Milan.
‘The Hoops’ became the first side from the north of the continent to win the trophy with the 2-1 win over the Serie A side with the 1967 match taking place at the Estadio Nacional in Jamor (Lisbon). The team drew attention for iconic green hoops and the fact that the shirts had no player numbers with the numbers emblazoned on the playing shorts. Unlike the modern day Celtic side, all the players were ‘local lads’ hailing from the Glasgow area (or 30 miles from Celtic Park as was the claim) as was head coach Jock Stein.
‘Jinky’ Jimmy Johnstone was a constant threat for the ‘Celts’ against the much fancied Italian side with the player famed for his mazy runs and flame red hair.
Past meetings
Celtic were Real Madrid’s opponents at the quarter-final stage of the European Cup in 1980 and despite a 2-0 win for the ‘Hoops’ in Glasgow, Madrid (de los García) dug deep in the second leg to advance 3-2 on aggregate with the goals for ‘Los Blancos’ coming from Santillana, Juanito and Stielike.