After a degree of uncertainty in recent weeks, it's been confirmed that Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez will not return as the club's manager for the 2024/25 La Liga season.
Earlier this week, Real Madrid and Germany star Toni Kroos likewise announced he'll hang up his boots after this summer’s Euro 24 competition.
Two legends of world football, the CVs of both Kroos and Xavi are indisputable – and both plied their trade as players under the Celtic Park lights in the UEFA Champions League.
Check out the latest Celtic transfer news and rumours
The atmosphere inside Celtic Park during European competition has long been hailed by visiting players all over.
Everyone from Alex Ferguson to Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paolo Maldini, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Andres Iniesta have all spoken in fervent praise of the noise generated from the stands on these special occasions.
Xavi played at Paradise during Celtic's unlikely 2-1 UCL group-stage win over the Catalan giants in November 2012, when goals from Victor Wanyama and an 18-year-old Tony Watt ensured Messi's late strike past Fraser 'La Gran Muralla' Forster was all but a consolation.
After that encounter, the Spaniard said: "The atmosphere generated by the fans in Celtic’s stadium for our visit was the most impressive I’ve ever witnessed."
Kroos, on the other hand, played on the Parkhead pitch when Real Madrid overcame Ange Postecoglou's Celtic 3-0 in September 2022.
That night, Celtic fought hard for 60 minutes, with captain Callum McGregor striking the post at 0-0. Still, the quality among Carlo Ancelotti's side proved too much for the hosts, as goals from Vinicious Junior, Luca Modric and Eden Hazard claimed maximum points for the visitors.
After the full-time whistle, Kroos admitted Celtic Park is as intimidating as away grounds come.
He said: "I was being asked several times which (away) stadium is my favourite. And there is a new number one, I can tell you, Celtic Park. It has been just crazy! We came out, and the atmosphere was good.
"The Champions League anthem started, and I thought the stadium was going to collapse. Unbelievable, I had never experienced anything like that.
"After the game, everyone applauded. Totally Celtic, of course, but nothing hostile or disrespectful. That was very, very, impressive.
"When we lined up for the team picture, I told David Alaba that it feels like we are already 0-2 down. Just insane!"
Here's everything you need to know about the Scottish Cup Final 2024
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel