It wasn’t just on the park that Bobo Balde created havoc- the big defender also enjoyed a scrap or two in the tunnel.
Jackie McNamara played alongside Balde in the glory years under Martin O’Neill when nobody took liberties with the hoops.
Alongside Joos Valgaeren and Johan Mjalby, O’Neill put together a fearsome defence that didn’t make many pretty patterns but left more than a few opponents shaking in fear.
???????????? Bobo’s gonnae get ye ???? pic.twitter.com/5YvtMizEwO
— Teresa (@Teresab1977) June 10, 2018
Barcelona were the only Champions League opponents to get the better of Celtic at home during that golden era but that came after a famous 1-0 defeat in the 2004 UEFA Cup.
When Balde went on the attack in the tunnel it thrust David Marsall into the spotlight as he replaced ‘peacemaker’ Rab Douglas.
Marshall kept Barca at bay for 45 minutes then excelled that performance in the Nou Camp as Celtic progressed to the last eight on a 1-0 aggregate.
Those games weren’t entirely a lost cause for Barca, on the back of his displays Henrik Larsson ended up at the Nou Camp with Barca going on to lift the 2006 Champions League.