During a storied eight-year spell at Manchester United, Nemanja Vidic lifted practically every trophy available to him. He featured over 300 times for the Red Devils and firmly established himself as one of the greatest defenders the Premier League has ever seen.
He quickly became known as one of the most intimidating players in the competition's history too, with his relentless, hard-hitting approach to defending. That is precisely why he complemented his partner Rio Ferdinand and the duo went on to dominate English football for years.
Ultimately, it wasn't often the Serb was fazed by another individual, let alone an occasion entirely. He was usually the one striving to be the nightmarish highlight of the match-day, though he had previously opened up about one particular stadium where he felt uncharacteristically unnerved. That alone speaks to the powerful atmosphere at this ground.
Vidic Felt 'Intimidated' at 60k-Seater Celtic Park
The Celtic fans were 'breathing fire' onto the pitch
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Speaking in an interview with The Athletic, he was asked if there were any stadiums that had unsettled an otherwise fearsome Vidic throughout his playing career. He drew on experiences early on in his life that meant he was prepared for the most menacing of atmospheres, but the fans at Celtic Park stood out nonetheless.
"They were [daunting] in Naples, which had a reputation for being loud and intimidating. When you have played at Red Star you don’t really get intimidated. Maybe only at Celtic Park for the first 10 minutes of a game when the fans breathe fire towards the players. I loved playing at Celtic and felt like it was my mentality that I had grown up with."
Celtic has been credited with having one of the best stadium atmospheres in world football, and the ground is often its most explosive during European matches, or if the Scottish outfit's fierce rivals Rangers are paying a visit, of course.
Vidic wouldn't be the first to praise Celtic Park, which can hold up to 60,411 fans at one time. Some of the best players in the sport's history who have toured the world numerous times, including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, have both previously admitted that this ground was the greatest they have ever played at, due to the passionate atmosphere.
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Vidic Never Won a Game at Celtic Park in His Career
He visited the stadium as a player on three occasions
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Vidic's first appearance at Celtic Park came during the 2006/07 season when Manchester United matched the Scottish Premiership side in the Champions League group stages. The atmosphere proved too unnerving on this occasion, as his team lost 1-0, due to an astounding free-kick goal from Shunsuke Nakamura.
The two sides met again in the 2008/09 Champions League group stages, and Celtic once again drew first blood, scoring just 13 minutes into the tie to set the crowd alight. United were able to secure a draw nonetheless, thanks to a late equaliser from Ryan Giggs.
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Finally, Vidic's last visit to Celtic Park was with Inter Milan, when the Serie A giants matched with the Bhoys in the Round of 32 stage of the 2014/15 Europa League. The defender was left as an unused substitute in this clash, though his teammates were unable to win anyway, with a 3-3 scoreline as the final result.
Nemanja Vidic's statistics at Celtic Park
Appearances
Minutes played
Wins
Draws
Losses
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - Correct as of 14/02/2025.