“Celtic Park in Glasgow is among the most partisan football grounds in Europe – you don’t want to be on the wrong end of this crowd. But Celtic fans know the world, and last September was different: home supporters lined the approach to the stadium, to greet and applaud the visitors’ coach as it arrived for a big night in the Champions League. Aboard it: Shakhtar Donetsk, the Ukrainian champions who had not played a game at home for nine years, since Russian separatists and armed forces occupied their city in 2014. The crowd cheered the bus, and – poignantly – among the home fans’ Irish tricolours were flags of blue and yellow, those of Ukraine, waved by a group of children – refugees from the war that ravages their homeland, now settled in Glasgow. …”
Guardian
Daily Archives: February 19, 2023
Newcastle 0 Liverpool 2: Klopp’s top-four bid alive, Pope’s agony, Alisson’s excellence
“Newcastle’s meeting with Liverpool always had the look of the game of the weekend, and it duly delivered the drama to justify that status. A 2-0 win for Jurgen Klopp’s side reignited their previously fading hopes of securing a place in the top four, but of arguably more significance was a red card to Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope that leaves Eddie Howe desperately short of goalkeeping options ahead of next weekend’s Carabao Cup final. …”
The Athletic
European roundup: Bayern beaten again by bogey side Mönchengladbach
“Borussia Mönchengladbach beat 10-man Bayern Munich 3-2 on Saturday, stretching their unbeaten run over the Bundesliga champions to five games in all competitions. Gladbach went ahead through Lars Stindl in the 13th minute after Bayern got off to a nightmare start, with Dayot Upamecano bringing down Alassane Pléa outside the box and being shown a red card in the eighth minute. Stindl missed a golden chance to double their lead in the 24th but sent his close-range shot wide. …”
Guardian