These are ghastly and more than slightly humiliating times for a Celtic squad who yesterday returned to Glasgow and a mental state of purgatory, bereft of the sense of closure they had sought from their expedition to a bone-chilling Denmark.
Celtic, winners of the European Cup in 1967, lost 2-1 to AaB Aalborg on Tuesday evening, and more than their self-esteem went with it.
The package accompanying this defeat cost the Scottish champions their place in the Champions League, and even progression to the Uefa Cup, after an ordeal on an evening in which they saw the winning post before staging a grand collapse. Their bruised spirits were bundled on to a plane in the wee small hours of the morning, some of their players obviously stricken.
It was difficult for bewildered manager Gordon Strachan to explain away such happenings after Celtic's corpse was laid out on a slab by a chilly, but morose home side. "Like a bad dream," he said.
In sub-zero temperatures, Celtic submerged. It has always been the way for them in this tournament over a ruinous seven-year period at various outposts that has seen them garner only a wretched point, that astonishingly coming at Barcelona in a 1-1 draw in 2004, from 18 games. One point from a possible 54. A different cast over the years, but the same soiled storyline.
Before becoming Celtic's manager, Strachan said: "If you get a chance at a club with European potential, you have to jump at it. As a coach, I learned something right away. Working in Europe helps any coach."
What such an evening does for him, goodness knows.
Celtic lead the Scottish Premier League by four points, but this night will gnaw at their conscience for some time to come, probably because it was, as they had felt beforehand, an eminently winnable game. Celtic, ashen-faced and humbled, departed Denmark carried along by the ill wind that had blown through them all night.
On a freezing evening, Celtic squandered several early chances to deny them a lead their play deserved. After half-time, Barry Robson thumped a header home, but failure to retain possession enabled Caca, far from his famed namesake, to equalise with the benefit of an outrageous deflection. Gary Caldwell suffered a cruel own goal in 87 minutes to consign Celtic to the dustbin, bottom of Group E.
The home results have been impressive, Barcelona being the only side to enjoy wins in the Champions League at Celtic Park, but their away run is pitiful, stretching between the management of Martin O'Neill and Strachan.
Celtic, with a forward line of Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton, lost 3-2 in the final minute of a group game against Juventus in Turin seven years ago, and have continued losing. It seems like they have lost in every country in the continent, in every type of fashion.
They went down in the last few moments to Bayern Munich, Olympique Lyon, AC Milan and Sporting Lisbon, and have been outplayed at Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk and last month at Manchester United, even with the help of two offside goals for the English side.
Throw in a 5-0 caning by Artmedia Bratislava in a qualifier under Strachan, and there seems to be a terminal problem. Defeats at Anderlecht, Rosenborg, FC Copenhagen and now Aalborg, a side currently in the midriff of their league, suggests Celtic are not mature enough.
Their ailments have been described as travel sickness, but one is coming to the conclusion that they have picked up some kind of incurable illness at this rarefied level. Aalborg, for all their appetite, were not at such a level, no better than anything Celtic come across in Scotland on a weekly basis.
@Email:dkane@thenational.ae
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Virtuzone GCC Sixes
Date and venue Friday and Saturday, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City
Time Matches start at 9am
Groups
A Blighty Ducks, Darjeeling Colts, Darjeeling Social, Dubai Wombats; B Darjeeling Veterans, Kuwait Casuals, Loose Cannons, Savannah Lions; C Awali Taverners, Darjeeling, Dromedary, Darjeeling Good Eggs
MATCH INFO
FA Cup fifth round
Chelsea v Manchester United, Monday, 11.30pm (UAE), BeIN Sports
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The flights: South African Airways flies from Dubai International Airport with a stop in Johannesburg, with prices starting from around Dh4,000 return. Emirates can get you there with a stop in Lusaka from around Dh4,600 return.
The details: Visas are available for 247 Zambian kwacha or US$20 (Dh73) per person on arrival at Livingstone Airport. Single entry into Victoria Falls for international visitors costs 371 kwacha or $30 (Dh110). Microlight flights are available through Batoka Sky, with 15-minute flights costing 2,265 kwacha (Dh680).
Accommodation: The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel by Anantara is an ideal place to stay, within walking distance of the falls and right on the Zambezi River. Rooms here start from 6,635 kwacha (Dh2,398) per night, including breakfast, taxes and Wi-Fi. Water arrivals cost from 587 kwacha (Dh212) per person.
Score
Third Test, Day 2
New Zealand 274
Pakistan 139-3 (61 ov)
Pakistan trail by 135 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the innings
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT
Deportivo La Coruna 2 Barcelona 4
Deportivo: Perez (39'), Colak (63')
Barcelona: Coutinho (6'), Messi (37', 81', 84')
Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
UAE group fixtures
Sunday Feb 23, 9.30am, v Iran
Monday Feb 25, 1pm, v Kuwait
Tuesday Feb 26, 9.30am, v Saudi
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza, Rohan Mustafa, Alishan Sharafu, Ansh Tandon, Vriitya Aravind, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Basil Hameed, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Ayaz, Zahoor Khan, Chirag Suri, Sultan Ahmed
THE TWIN BIO
Their favourite city: Dubai
Their favourite food: Khaleeji
Their favourite past-time : walking on the beach
Their favorite quote: ‘we rise by lifting others’ by Robert Ingersoll
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Decca
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Specs – Taycan 4S
Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 571bhp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh431,800
Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 455bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: from Dh431,800
Scores
Scotland 54-17 Fiji
England 15-16 New Zealand
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Results:
5pm: Baynunah Conditions (UAE bred) Dh80,000 1,400m.
Winner: Al Tiryaq, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Abdullah Al Hammadi (trainer).
5.30pm: Al Zahra Handicap (rated 0-45) Dh 80,000 1,400m:
Winner: Fahadd, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.
6pm: Al Ras Al Akhdar Maiden Dh80,000 1,600m.
Winner: Jaahiz, Jesus Rosales, Eric Lemartinel.
6.30pm: Al Reem Island Handicap Dh90,000 1,600m.
Winner: AF Al Jahed, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel.
7pm: Al Khubairah Handicap (TB) 100,000 2,200m.
Winner: Empoli, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap Dh80,000 2,200m.
Winner: Shivan OA, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi.
Zodi%20%26%20Tehu%3A%20Princes%20Of%20The%20Desert
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SPECS
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
DUBAI CARNIVAL RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner Dubai Future, Harry Bentley (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm UAE 1000 Guineas Listed $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner Dubai Love, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
7.40pm Dubai Dash Listed $175,000 (T) 1,000m
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8.15pm Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions $100,000 (D) 1.900m
Winner Laser Show, Kevin Stott, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Al Fahidi Fort Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Glorious Journey, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner George Villiers, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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Ready Player One
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance
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