Yahoo Sports Hope and heartache at core of Club Brugge story
Champions League: Celtic v Club Brugge
Venue: Celtic Park, Glasgow Date: Wednesday 27 November Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Scotland Extra/Sounds/DAB/810MW, live text commentary on the BBC Sport website, highlights on BBC One and the BBC Sport website and app from 22:40
When Kenny Dalglish scored one of the finest, opportunistic goals in European Cup final history he sent Liverpool fans into ecstasy as the club retained a trophy they had lifted for the first time the year before.
Contrastingly, their opponents were plunged into depression and rancour.
Graeme Souness' magnificent through ball against Club Brugge in the 1978 showpiece at Wembley gave his Scotland team-mate the chance to produce the kind of unnerving finish he was renowned for to settle the final against the Belgians, who visit Dalglish's old stamping ground on Champions League duty this week.
It marked a second defeat in as many years for the 19-time Belgian champions at the hands of Liverpool having lost the Uefa Cup final to them in 1976.
Their manager was the legendary Austrian Ernst Happel, who was clouded in bitterness after the 1-0 defeat in London, claiming the side with Scots Dalglish, Souness and Alan Hansen was not a patch on the one that had beaten them two seasons before.
Before breaking Brugge hearts, Dalglish had broken those of Celtic supporters, having been Bob Paisley's chosen one to replace Kevin Keegan, who had moved to German giants Hamburg.
He skippered Celtic to Scottish Cup glory against Rangers in his final match for the club and the lure of a move to the European champions proved too great with his three European Cup winners' medals proving it was the right decision.
At that time, the Belgians were semi-regulars in the latter stages of continental competition and even to this day, their European credentials are strong.
Conference League semi-finalists last season, they come to Glasgow knowing, like Celtic, they are tantalisingly close to extending their campaign into the spring but mindful they finish the league phase with three very tough fixtures.
They will see this one as their best chance to get on to the fabled nine-point mark with Sporting Club, Juventus and Manchester City completing their first round matches.
They narrowly lost their Europa League last-four tie to Fiorentina last term, going down 4-3 on aggregate before the Italians went on to lose to Olympiakos in a tight but largely forgettable final. Yet more Brugge frustration.
But while Celtic are buoyant thanks to their stirring win over RB Leipzig last time out, the Belgians pulled a rabbit out of the hat themselves with a 1-0 victory over 1982 winners Aston Villa, albeit that owed much to a bizarre penalty concession by England defender Tyrone Mings.
Players to watch
Star midfielder Hans Vanaken converted the spot-kick. He is a man that is as revered in West Flanders as Dalglish is in east Glasgow.
Only compatriots Romelu Lukaku, Dries Mertens and Kevin De Bruyne are higher-scoring Belgians in the Champions League, having taken his tally into double figures against Villa to draw level with Eden Hazard.
Vanaken, who was with Belgium at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, remains an important part of Nicky Hayen's side. He is their captain and will likely smash the 500-appearance mark this season if he stays fit.
Hayen himself replaced former Celtic manager Ronny Deila at the club having previously been in charge of the much-vaunted youth team, Club NXT, where he worked with Celtic midfielder Arne Engels.
The 44-year-old is their fifth manager since Rangers boss Phillipe Clement’s successful time in charge, where he led them to back-to-back titles.
He will, however, be without several key players for a match they may be viewing as a must-win.
Sweden international striker Gustaf Neilsen, young Dutch talent Bjorn Meijer, Norway midfielder Hugo Vetlesen and Belgium prospect Hugo Siquet are all on the sidelines along with former Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata, who is now in the twilight of his playing career.
There will be important roles for Kasper Schmeichel’s Danish colleague Andreas Skov Olsen and Greece international Christos Tzolis on the wings, the latter scoring four of Brugge's seven against Sint-Truiden at the weekend.
Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet needs no introduction to Brendan Rodgers after they worked together at Liverpool, while full-backs Maxim De Cuyper and Joaquin Seys, along with the likes of Engels and Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere, are hoping to become Belgium's new golden generation.
Celtic are a point ahead of the Belgians going into matchday five and both sides know a victory would all but seal their passage to, at least, the knockout play-off round and a step closer Dalglish's zenith.
