There aren’t many places around Europe that can better Celtic Park on a Champions League night.
Perhaps Liverpool’s Anfield or even Galatasaray of Istanbul, but one thing is for sure, Celtic, under the lights, on Europe’s biggest stage, is memorable not just for the home side, but also the opposition.
From beating Barcelona on that famous night to even this season when Celtic beat RB Leipzig in one of the best European displays you will see from the Hoops, there are many memories to bank in.
It’s a bucket list moment, and it’s one of the reasons why Celtic are so famous across the world.
Thankfully, with the Champions League format being revamped, it has allowed the Treble-chasers to compete more in Europe and reach those knockout stages and try to muster up more memorable nights.
One man who has played on the Celtic Park turf during his career is former centre-back turned pundit, Rio Ferdinand.
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Rio Ferdinand states his Manchester United teammates were shocked by Celtic’s atmosphere
Rewind back to 2008, Sir Alex Ferguson is still Manchester United’s manager, and they rock up in Glasgow as the current holders of the trophy.
But the might of Celtic, then managed by the no-nonsense Gordon Strachan, stood in their way, and Ferdinand was taking in the noise on the pitch.
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Ferdinand told Manchester United’s official website that, just before the game was about to start, he was amazed by the noise coming from the home crowd.
The former England international then shared that he turned to fellow teammates – Michael Carrick and boyhood Celtic fan Darren Fletcher – and they couldn’t believe what they were hearing, as the group stage game ended up finishing 1-1.
“I remember Fletch (Darren Fletcher) and Carra’s (Michael Carrick’s),” shared Ferdinand.
“When the first whistle went off, I remember the roar and I remember them both looking back going ‘oooh’. It was so loud. It was like ‘wow’.”
Ferdinand on wanting to play in the Glasgow derby
The Glasgow derby is one of the most famous across the world, and not many can match the hatred that has engulfed this game for decades and decades.
But, even with the illustrious career Ferdinand had, that’s including six Premier League titles and playing for some of the biggest clubs, he still wanted a taste of Glasgow.
“That’s one game I wish I could play in, in my career, like the Glasgow derby,” added Ferdinand. “A top-of-the-table clash.”