Super-fit Norse ran us off park, says Neil
NEIL LENNON recalls being stunned by the fitness of Norwegian champions Rosenborg when Celtic played in the Champions League group stages for the first time back in 2001.
Martin O’Neill’s side was set to take on the Trondheim club in their opening Group E match at home before the 9/11 terrorist attack led to the game being postponed.
But when the Treble winners’ matches against the Tippeligaen champions eventually went ahead the following month Lennon was greatly impressed with their opponents.
Brendan Rodgers’ side will take on Kare Ingebrigtsen’s team in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round at Parkhead tomorrow evening.
Lennon, now in charge at Ladbrokes Premiership club Hibernian, recalls how the Scandinavians gave Celtic a tough time when they met 16 years ago.
He said: “Celtic were supposed to play their first ever Champions League game at home against Rosenborg in 2011 – but it got cancelled because of 9/11.
“The team were staying at Dalmahoy and we got the call from Uefa the night before saying the match wasn’t going to go ahead.
“It was an unprecedented set of circumstances and it was definitely the right thing to do. It was totally understandable as we could not have played a football match in that atmosphere.”
“We beat Rosenborg 1-0 at Celtic Park and Alan Thompson scored the winner.
“That Rosenborg were an incredibly fit team and the pace of the game especially in the first 45 minutes was relentless.
“We went 1-0 up in the first half and at half-time we were all saying to ourselves that they Rosenborg were a real handful.
“I remember the trip well because the place that the Celtic team stayed in was called ‘Hell’. It turned out to be most appropriate!”