Sutty: No one laughed when Joos started retaking the mick with ref
CHRIS SUTTON managed to find gallows humour the last time Celtic faced Valencia along the Gallowgate.
Henrik Larsson and Stan Petrov missed on that December night in 2001 as their UEFA Cup third-round meeting went to a nerveshredding penalty shootout.
But it was the failure of Joos Valgaeren to hit the target – twice – that finally scuppered the Hoops’ attempt to go beyond Christmas for the first time in more than 20 years.
Sutton said: “That was one of our best European performances under Martin O’Neill. They were a really good side. We actually missed chances and possibly should have won.
“I think back to the penalties involving Joos. He missed the first one and got to retake it.
“I don’t know if you’d call this good banter or not but then he missed the second one and we were all disappointed.
“Apparently on the way back up the pitch he asked the ref if he could take it again! It wasn’t funny at the time but we can look back and laugh now.
“The atmosphere that night was incredible and we had that capability on our day of performing against the top teams – but we didn’t do it often enough.
“It is the same for this current Celtic team.
“If they turn up they have a chance and if they don’t they could be well beaten. That is where the issue of consistency comes in.”
Celtic have been a mixed bag in Europe this season with their exit from the Champions League qualifiers at the hands of AEK Athens throwing them into the Europa League. A draw away to Suduva in the play-off was followed by group-stage defeat at Leipzig and home and away losses to Salzburg.
But wins over Rosenborg and a home victory against the Germans saw them through to the knockouts.
Celtic are on a sevengame winning streak and haven’t even shipped a goal in the process, with Sutton seeing hope for his former club as they attempt to move into the last 16.
Valencia drew 10 of their first 13 games this term and have had stalemates in their last three against Barcelona and Real Sociedad in La Liga plus Real Betis in the Copa del Rey.
Sutton said: “Celtic have a chance based on the fact Valencia have drawn a lot of games in La Liga.
“They beat Man United in the Champions League and have some good players. But Celtic will take hope from the performance they showed at home to Leipzig.
“Valencia aren’t a team who are tearing La Liga up by any stretch. But a lot of the Celtic story this season has been about which Celtic team will turn up.
“So while I give them a chance it’s a 50-50 game – and the big players have to start turning up for them.
“Not enough of them have done that so far.”