As Celtic get set to play in Seville for the first time since 2003, the last manager to take his Hoops to the city has been talking about how he got there and the immense disappointment of losing that night.
Martin O’Neill, flanked by Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton and Bobo Balde to name a few, got all the way to the UEFA Cup final to take on a young Portuguese manager, Jose Mourinho.
Celtic and Porto took their place in the UEFA Cup Final – now known as the Europa League.
The Bhoys beat some top teams to get to the final including Blackburn and Liverpool on their way to Seville.
Despite Henrik Larsson getting on the scoresheet twice, the bhoys lost out 3-2 in extra time.
Martin has spoken about this on many occasions but it’s a football memory he can’t shake. A regret that will live with him and many of his former players.
Speaking to SunSport, O’Neill opened up on the 2003 run.
“Seville was a fantastic occasion but a big, big disappointment. It still rankles, even now all these years on. And I don’t think I’ll ever feel any differently about it.
“I’ve talked to some of the ex-players about it and they feel exactly the same.
“It wasn’t so much that we lost to Porto, who went on to win the Champions League the next year. That wasn’t the issue.
“It was just the manner of the defeat. Henrik Larsson was simply sensational on the night and I thought we could and should have won it. But it wasn’t to be.
“So when I think back on it I think about the occasion and 75,000 Celtic supporters descending upon Seville.
“They got there by hook or by crook and it was wonderful. Celtic fans always find a way. But then that quickly turns to a feeling of real disappointment.
“A defeat like that, in a final, is pretty difficult to get over. We did so much work to get there and beat some great sides on the way.
“Blackburn Rovers were no back number at that time. I remember going to see them play Arsenal at Highbury a week or two before we played them and they were fifth or sixth in the Premier League.
“It became a big thing in the press, Scotland against England. People down there were saying, ‘If Blackburn Rovers can take care of the best in Scotland then where does that leave Scottish football?’
“Strangely enough, that made us more determined. We obviously wanted to do well for our own football club, but we all wanted Scottish football to be recognised and considered pretty decent.
“From memory, we didn’t play well in the first game at Celtic Park, but went down to Ewood Park and turned it on.
“I remember we filled the stand behind one of the goals. What a big, big mistake that was by Blackburn.
“I swear, from the minute I went out for the warm-up and saw how many supporters we had, I just knew we’d win.
“We couldn’t lose that night.
“After that we played Liverpool, which was just extraordinary. What a night at Anfield.
“That was when I thought we had a right good chance of reaching the final.
“Getting there was fantastic as it was the club’s first final since 1970, obviously after the wonderful team of 1967.
“So there is a lot to be proud of when I think back to the final against Jose Mourinho’s Porto.
“But those are the things which probably make the disappointment of Seville all the more gnawing.”
Ange Postecoglou and bhoys take on Real Betis in matchday one of the Europa League. Not the high stakes of the UEFA Cup final, but a chance for the bhoys to show they can go toe to toe with some top opposition in this competition.
Many Celtic fans dream of another European final but it does feel like we’re a long way off from that kind of success in Europe.
