Hull 2 Wigan 3

THEY may have rested their star names, but a largely second-string Barcelona consigned Rubin Kazan to a place in the Europa League after easing to a narrow victory at the Nou Camp.

Tottenham qualified for the last 16 as Group A winners in their maiden Champions League season after a typically high-scoring draw was coupled with a surprise 3-0 defeat for holders Inter Milan.

Luxembourg referee Alain Hamer may have reconsidered his part in officiating in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League last weekend if he had been informed of the reason for the Scottish refereeing strike sooner than two hours before kick-off.

LUXEMBOURG’S Alain Hamer will referee both halves of the Old Firm this weekend after the Scottish Football Association scrambled across Europe to find replacement officials.

RAFAEL BENITEZ’S Inter were made to work by Twente before Esteban Cambiasso broke the Dutch outfit’s resistance 10 minutes into the second half.

LIONEL MESSI struck two goals as Barcelona moved top of Group D after squeezing past FC Copenhagen at the Nou Camp last night.

LIONEL MESSI was denied a hat-trick but Barcelona put their shock Primera Division defeat to Hercules behind them as they opened their UEFA Champions League campaign with a crushing 5-1 win over Panathinaikos.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon remains keen to add a striker to his squad before tomorrow`s transfer deadline, despite seeing Daryl Murphy net the winner against Motherwell on his first start for the club.

HIBERNIAN’S board of directors is to meet to discuss Celtic’s proposed move for Republic of Ireland striker Anthony Stokes.

MANCHESTER UNITED and Rangers were drawn together in Group C of the Champions League at yesterday’s draw in Monaco.

CELTIC gave themselves a mountain to climb bigger than the rockface overlooking AXA Stadium after crashing to Braga in last night’s Champions League third qualifying round first leg.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez says there is still work to be done before Daniel de Ridder completes a loan move to Hapoel Tel-Aviv.

Fulham will face the Europa League holders Shaktar Donetsk in the round of 32 draw of the competition and then will face either Ajax or Juventus in the last 16.

Zheng Zhi returns for Celtic’s SPL clash with Aberdeen tomorrow.

AIDEN MCGEADY believes the Europa League win over Hapoel Tel Aviv provided more evidence that Celtic’s season is on an upward curve.

Aiden McGeady believes the Europa League win over Hapoel Tel Aviv provided more evidence that Celtic’s season is on an upward curve.

CELTIC manager Tony Mowbray urged his side to build on the positives of their 2-0 Europa League victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv in Glasgow last night despite it not being enough to keep them in the competition.

Celtic 2 Hapoel Tel Aviv 0

Ki Sung-Yong arrived in Glasgow last night to seal his £2m move to Celtic and revealed his dream – to make his debut against Rangers at Parkhead on January 3 and score.

Celtic midfielder Marc Crosas claims the criticism the Parkhead players have received for much of this season has been good for them.

CELTIC manager Tony Mowbray admits qualification for the knock-out stages of the Europa League would now be an unexpected bonus.

Artur Boruc could be recalled to the Celtic squad for the penultimate Europa League Group C game against Hapoel Tel Aviv tomorrow night.

Former Celtic defender John Kennedy is confident the Hoops have enough strength of character to pull through their inconsistent start to the season.

TONY MOWBRAY is hoping in-form Aiden McGeady can help breathe life into Celtic’s ailing Europa League hopes when Hapoel Tel Aviv visit Parkhead on Wednesday.

Tony Mowbray is hoping in-form Aiden McGeady can help breathe life into Celtic’s ailing Europa League hopes when Hapoel Tel Aviv visit Parkhead on Wednesday night.

TONY MOWBRAY refuses to give up on the Europa League, despite a goalless draw at Hamburg which last night left his Celtic side needing a miracle to qualify from Group C.

Celtic 0 Hamburg 0

TONY MOWBRAY insists helping to restore the good name of Scottish football will be of secondary importance to helping Celtic through their crucial Europa League Group C clash with Hamburg at Parkhead tonight.

IRELAND injury concern Aiden McGeady came through 80 minutes of action but Celtic failed to gain closure on 25 years of hurt as they were held 1-1 by old foes Rapid Vienna in their Europa League clash at Parkhead last night.

Republic of Ireland winger Aiden McGeady has returned from an ankle injury for Celtic’s Europa League clash with Rapid Vienna at Parkhead tonight.

Celtic striker Georgios Samaras is still sidelined for tomorrow’s Co-Operative Insurance Cup third-round tie at Falkirk.

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray has dropped captain Stephen McManus for today's SPL clash with Hearts at Parkhead.

Celtic striker Georgios Samaras is a major doubt for Sunday's SPL clash with Hearts at Parkhead.

Celtic keeper Artur Boruc has apologised to Hoops fans who travelled “to the end of the world” to see their heroes throw away an interval lead and lose their Europa League Group C opener against Hapoel Tel Aviv.

CELTIC manager Tony Mowbray refused to use the heat and humidity of Israel as an excuse for the Bhoys’ late defeat to Hapoel Tel Aviv in their Europa League Group C opener in the Bloomfield stadium yesterday.

Hapoel Tel Aviv 2 Celtic 1

EVERTON manager David Moyes will give his new £10 million (€11.2m) Russian winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov his full debut tonight and is hoping a squad depleted by injuries and suspension can cope with life in the Europa League.

Celtic striker Scott McDonald believes UEFA’s decision to quash Eduardo’s two-match ban for an alleged dive will make it more difficult to stamp out simulation from the game.

Niall McGinn admits the Clydesdale Bank Premier League’s under-21 rule is going to “kill” his attempts to become a Celtic regular.

MANCHESTER UNITED star Dimitar Berbatov was among 17 overseas-based players named by Bulgaria coach Stanimir Stoilov yesterday in his squad for next month’s World Cup Group Eight qualifier against Ireland.

BULGARIAN manager Stanimir Stoilov has recalled several experienced internationals for the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Ireland and Cyprus.

West Ham striker Carlton Cole has been named in a 20-man squad by Nigeria to face South Africa in a joint 2010 World Cup and African Nations Cup qualifier early next month.

The scale of Spurs’ success must be measured against the shortcomings of their opponents, however, as Wigan looked every inch a doomed side with seven straight losses.