TOSH McKINLAY: Celtic goal could have Barca in el of a sweat

YOU have to be realistic and say the odds are rightly stacked on Barcelona to win in the Nou Camp tonight, but if Celtic can keep things tight enough early on and snatch a goal it could get interesting.

I think Celtic earned Barcelona's respect by having a real go at Parkhead in the first leg and it was unfortunate they couldn't hold onto the lead.

Artur has no case to answer this time

I have not been a fan of Artur Boruc's antics in the past, and haven't defended them, but I don't think he has much of a case to answer for what happened at Easter Road on Saturday.

You could single out what happened at Ibrox, when he got it wrong with an ill-advised bit of flag-waving, but I didn't see much offence in his actions after the Hibs game.

Artur has developed a reputation in the media and with opposing fans for making gestures, and that in turn makes him a target.

To an extent it is all part of Artur's nature that he can let the stick get under his skin.

But it is not easy for any professional to shut out the abuse when it is coming at you solid for 90 minutes and there is history with the support of the opposition club.

Those Hibs supporters were guilty of double standards. They abused Boruc throughout the game, just as they have done on his previous appearances at Easter Road, yet they have the cheek to view their actions as acceptable and his as unacceptable.

On this occasion I don't have a problem with the Celtic goalkeeper, and when you consider the stick he has had to endure from Hibs fans then his reaction is perhaps understandable to some extent.

Obviously the best future course of action for Artur to take is to address himself solely to the Celtic support and leave it at that.

But the big Pole is still a young player and hopefully he will learn in that respect.

It is no surprise that Gordon Strachan has come out and backed his goalkeeper. At any club it is important the manager shows solidarity with his players and in this case the Parkhead boss got it right.

The bottom line is that Celtic will need to score twice tonight without reply to get through to the quarter-finals and that seems a huge ask against a team of Barcelona's quality.

Obviously Celtic's tactics will be different for this one and they will be likely to go with one up front and flood the midfield.

I think in that respect, and despite his prolific form, Scott McDonald will find himself on the bench, and possibly big Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink will ply the lone striker role.

That may seem tough on the young Aussie, given his 25-goal contribution to Celtic's cause and the amount of sheer graft that he gets through in games.

But I think the manager will prefer to go with the bigger physical option that Hesselink provides.

Looking at tonight's tie, the type of firepower available to Barcelona will make it extremely difficult for Celtic to keep the scoreline blank, but if they can - and the longer they do the better - the greater their chances.

For me it doesn't matter what team you are talking about. When they are playing at home in a major game, and if the opposition frustrate them and then nick a goal, it has a negative effect on the home crowd.

It would be a dream scenario if Celtic can achieve that but, as we know from the past when Dundee United did it, Scottish teams are capable of winning in the Nou Camp.

However, whether Celtic win or lose in Barcelona tonight, this Champions League campaign must be viewed as a success and also one that has shown further signs of the progress being made under Gordon Strachan.

When you consider Celtic have already beaten the reigning Champions League winners in AC Milan at Parkhead, and also the performance in the East End against a Barcelona side who are among the favourites for this year's crown, then the team and the manager deserve credit.

The benchmarks for Celtic in Europe are the same every season. That is firstly to qualify for the Champions League and then if possible to make the knock-out stages.

Celtic were only stopped last season by the eventual winners in AC Milan, who have already been beaten in the current campaign, while again this time out in the knock-out stages Celtic have been unlucky to draw one of the tournament favourites.

In terms of revenue the campaign has been a success. On the playing front, again the side are picking up more vital experience against the cream of Europe, and that will only enhance the squad's development.

With the type of money Celtic have banked from this Champions League campaign, the manager will again be able to strengthen in the summer, and the team and the squad should be further improved.

So, even if, as seems likely, making it past Barcelona tonight may be too big an ask, no-one can argue it has been another positive season in Europe for the club.

Second season will underscore Skippy's worth

Scott McDonald has had a great first season for Celtic and a record of 25 goals - so far - speaks for itself.

So it's not a surprise that the Aussie has caught the eye of Premiership sides. Scott has shown he can cut it against the best in Europe, but he needs to do it for more than one season.

In contrast to Skippy, Scott Brown and Lee Naylor have come in for a bit of stick of late, but I think that has been unfair.

Brown has come from being the main man at Hibs and initially did well at Celtic in his first season. Yes, he may have suffered a dip in form and been up and down in Europe, but it is all a learning curve for him. So judge him after his second or third season with Celtic.

Naylor has suffered from the second season syndrome. But against Hibs on Saturday he looked like he was coming back to his best and scored a vital goal for Celtic at a crucial time. So, again, you have to say he has been a good buy for the Hoops.