Celtic crash to first ever home Champions League defeat

Celtic crashed to their first ever Champions League defeat at Parkhead when they went down 3-1 to Spanish giants Barcelona in their Group F tie.

Goals from Deco, Ludovic Giuly, and former Celtic legend Henrik Larsson, handed Frank Rijkaard's side all three points with Chris Sutton scoring for the home side just after half-time to briefly level the game.

Traffic congestion had caused the kick-off to be delayed by 30 minutes and the delay seemed to unsettle the home side who looked nervous as soon as the game got underway.

Barcelona knocked the ball about confidently and Celtic were finding it impossible to get on the ball.

John Hartson was clearly frustrated about his side's start and was booked after only one minute when he chopped down Rafael Marquez.

A mistake by Jackie McNamara then almost gave Barcelona the lead on five minutes when he allowed a pass to run through on to the feet of Juliano Belletti.

Luckily for Celtic goalkeeper David Marshall was quickly off his line to block at the right-back's feet.

Ronaldinho was next to try his luck when he cracked in a powerful drive from 20-yards on seven minutes which drifted just wide of Marshall's right-hand post.

Celtic were being forced on the back foot and only desperate defending was keeping the game scoreless.

But on eight minutes the home side created an opening when Juninho played Henri Camara through, but the Senegal striker's shot was weak and easily gathered by Victor Valdes in the Barcelona goal.

On 19 minutes the visitors took a deserved lead when Ronaldinho picked up a loose ball. The Brazilian showed great awareness on the ball and played a delightful sliding pass to Deco who smashed a wonderful shot past Marshall into the top left-hand corner.

Barcelona were giving Celtic a footballing lesson and only desperate defending was keeping the score at 1-0.

On the stroke of half-time it looked like Ludovic Giuly would double his side's lead when he latched on to a Deco through ball, ran through on goal and skipped past Celtic keeper Marshall.

As the Barcelona striker pulled the trigger to slot the ball home Bobo Balde appeared from nowhere to make a fantastic sliding block to keep Celtic in the tie.

Alan Thompson then got a sight of goal in first-half injury time when Camara played the ball inside. The Englishman seemed to be clear through on goal but with Carlos Puyol closing in he was forced to rush his shot and Valdes saved low to his right.

Chris Sutton replaced Juninho at half-time and but at first the change did little to change the flow of the game and on 54 minutes Ronaldinho had a chance to finish the game when his side were awarded a penalty.

Deco and Ronaldinho combined to put Giuly through on goal but McNamara's crude challenge on the striker gave German referee Merk Markus no option but to point to the spot and book the Celtic captain.

Ronaldinho stepped up and fired the ball to Marshall's left but the young keeper made a magnificent one-handed save to keep his side in the game.

And four minutes later the Brazilian's efforts were rewarded. Camara, who had moved to the right to accommodate Sutton, collected the ball mid-way in the Barcelona half, scampered down the wing and fired in a first time cross.

Sutton was unmarked six yards out and he rifled a shot into the roof of the net to level the game.

Frank Rijkaard sensed that a change was needed and on 61 minutes sent on Parkhead legend Larsson for Ronaldinho.

But the goal seemed to unsettle Barcelona and the home side suddenly sensed they could perhaps snatch a winner and for the first time in the game started to push the visitors back.

On 67 minutes Camara played the ball to Stilian Petrov who flicked it up before volleying in a fierce left-foot drive which Valdes acrobatically tipped over.

Celtic looked the more likely side to grab a second but on 78 minutes it was the visitors who again took the lead. Belletti found room on the right and centred for Giuly and his shot from 20 yards beat Marshall to put the Spanish side in front.

McNamara was stretchered off after appearing to fall awkwardly in the lead up to the goal and was replaced by Momo Sylla.

And on 82 minutes the inevitable happened when Larsson latched on to a short back pass from Thompson, touched the ball past Marshall and fired into the empty net to hand Celtic their first ever home defeat in the Champions League.