Hedman: most important game of my Celtic career

GOALKEEPER Magnus Hedman has hailed his performance against Barcelona as the most important of his Celtic career.

The Sweden international produced some crucial saves as the Hoops held the Catalan side 1-1 in the Nou Camp in the Champions League.

The result officially ended their dream of a place in the knock-out stages of the tournament but moved Celtic to within a game of the UEFA Cup beyond Christmas. Hedman banished the painful memory of his nightmare in Lyon and he chose the scene of David Marshall’s heroics last season to endear himself to the Celtic supporters. He enthused: “This wasn’t my best game but it was probably my most important game for the club. I wasn’t too confident when they scored and just two minutes later they just missed by the other side of my left post. I felt at that stage things were going to go bad. But we stuck up to the task and they missed.”

Celtic are now in pole position for a consolation place in the UEFA Cup and goal hero John Hartson is determined not to let that opportunity pass.

They leapfrogged Shakhtar Donetsk into third and now only have to do better than the Ukraine outfit in their final Group F game to progress.

The Glasgow side, who also lifted the gloom after the ugly Old Firm defeat, face AC Milan at Parkhead while the eastern Europeans face Barcelona at home on the same night. Hartson said: “Barcelona are capable of going to Shakhtar and winning and hopefully they will be up for that and trying hard in Shakhtar. It is going to be difficult and cold in Shakhtar but it’s in our own hands now and we are capable of beating Milan.”

Hartson dedicated the goal to his father but he confessed he felt he was offside when he turned the ball in for the equaliser.

It was Celtic’s first point on their travels in the Champions League in nine attempts.