Celtic were quite the European force back in the day and Celtic Park was a fortress. How did they fare against Real Madrid on this day in 1980?
On this day in 1980, Celtic ran out 2-0 victors over El Clasico giants Real Madrid at Celtic Park.
Goals from George McCluskey and Johnny Doyle were enough to earn the Hoops the victory on the night, taking a 2-0 lead to Madrid for the second leg.
However, just like the Zenit St Petersburg tie a couple of weeks ago, the club were unable to make use of their first leg lead and were overturned at the Santiago Bernabeu losing 3-2 on aggregate.
Memories of matches such as these must create a melancholic feeling amongst Celtic fan, who not that long ago remember the days when their club were frequently holding their own and going toe-to-toe with the greatest superpowers in European football.
It remains to be seen how the Celtic of today wold fare against the current European champions in Real Madrid, with the two clubs having not met in competitive competition for quite some time, but if their games against PSG and Bayern Munich this season were anything to go by, a 2-0 Parkhead victory may be slightly beyond their current ability.
On 5th March 1980, Celtic kept it tight during a dominant first half display from Real, only for the Billy McNeill’s side to come out all guns blazing after the interval to blow the Spaniards away. Real simply could not handle the heat from the Celts on the night, which even seems strange to read given the gulf that currently stands between the teams.
Nevertheless, the result is a reminder of just how significant Celtic are to European football, and why qualification each year into UEFA premier competition is imperative for any Celtic manager.
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