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Charlie Mulgrew shares remarkable Lionel Messi stat from Celtic’s win over Barcelona

Originally posted on HITC | By Martin Crawford | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 1:17 PM ET

There have been plenty of memorable European nights at Celtic Park, but few stand out quite like the win over Barcelona in 2012.

Just a day after marking their 125th anniversary, Neil Lennon’s team took on a Barcelona side that was largely unchanged from the one often regarded as one of the greatest ever assembled.

Back in the Champions League for the first time in four years, it was already a big occasion for Lennon’s squad. Goals from Victor Wanyama and Tony Watt turned it into one of those unforgettable moments that fans still talk about today.

Everyone who was there – whether they were on the pitch or in the stands – has their own memory of that night. It’s something we haven’t really seen again since then.

Charlie Mulgrew played his part in that famous win, and he’s recently shared a stat that sums up just how unique that match was.

Charlie Mulgrew shares Messi stat from iconic Celtic win over Barcelona

The possession stats from that night are well known, but there’s still some debate about the exact numbers. What’s clear is that Barcelona completely controlled the ball.

The match also happened to be the first time Messi scored since becoming a father. His son, Thiago, had been born just five days earlier.

That might have played a part in his fitness levels, as Mulgrew explained during a chat with Alan Brazil and Gabby Agbonlahor on TalkSPORT.

Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images

“We played Barcelona that night, and for the first ten minutes, we did not actually touch the ball,” Mulgrew said.

“Messi was playing, it was that great Barcelona team with the Tiki-Taka stuff; Pep Guardiola had just left. And we never touched the ball for about ten minutes.”

“We got a throw-in inside our half after about ten minutes and the whole place erupted. I remember thinking… ‘we’re doing alright here!’”

“I did 14.5K that night, and Messi done six. Just from an athletic running ability. But listen, what an amazing night – European nights at Celtic Park… there’s not much better.”

Messi has never been known for covering huge distances during matches – his game has always been more about movement than mileage.

Celtic’s most impressive European result since beating Barcelona

Since that famous night, Celtic haven’t quite hit the same heights in Europe. So what stands out as their best result since then?

While wins have been few and far between, there have been a few memorable draws at home against Inter Milan, Manchester City and Atletico Madrid.

Wins over RB Leipzig in both 2018 and 2024 catch the eye, along with a 5-1 rout of Slovan Bratislava and a solid 3-1 victory against Rennes.

READ MORE: Carlo Ancelotti weighs in on Chelsea’s Estevao Willian after two-goal Brazil performance

The trip to Anderlecht during Rodgers’ first spell brought a convincing 3-0 win, one of the better away days in recent memory.

But nothing quite matches the drama of Rome in 2019 when Ntcham’s injury-time goal sealed a famous win over Lazio and sparked wild scenes among the travelling support.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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