"It feels cruel in part to use Thursday's meeting of Feyenoord and Celtic to reflect upon illustrious times. The Dutch side are 29th in the 36-team Europa League table, with Celtic's position in 27th only more slightly more palatable to supporters because Rangers are bottom of the pile. Those fans disrupted an annual general meeting to the point of abandonment last week, demonstrating the disharmony that has engulfed Celtic for months."
"The European Cup final of 1970 remains so curious in a Celtic context because it is the showpiece occasion the club would rather forget. It provided rare missteps from Jock Stein and triggered the break-up of the Lisbon Lions. Celtic have never returned to the continent's marquee match and, on all available evidence, never will. Feyenoord's success at San Siro suitably incentivised Ajax to win the next three European Cups."
"The European Cup final was a disaster for Celtic, said the club's official magazine. Nothing could be more futile than to try to deny this. It was a disaster for the players, for the management and perhaps most of all for the supporters. Those fans were expectant; not unreasonably so after watching their team lift the trophy in the searing heat of Lisbon three years earlier."
Feyenoord and Celtic meet while both clubs occupy low positions in the Europa League table, with Feyenoord 29th and Celtic 27th of 36 teams. Rangers occupy bottom place, intensifying local rivalry and contrast. Celtic supporters recently disrupted an annual general meeting, reflecting ongoing disharmony at the club. Celtic reached the Champions League knockout phase last season but have regressed despite financial capability to compete with stronger European opponents. The 1970 European Cup final was a calamitous turning point that prompted Jock Stein's rare missteps and the breakup of the Lisbon Lions. Celtic have not returned to a European Cup final since.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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