hENRIK Larsson's injury cast a long shadow over the build-up to this clash, but the Swedish striker's spirit lives on in his former team-mates. This game marked the re-emergence of Larsson's Celtic - pragmatic, parsimonious, unafraid to play to their strengths and, above all, ruthless. One chance, one goal, one point. Crisis? What crisis?

After a week of accusations, recriminations and controversy, it was suddenly football which was restored to the agenda and Celtic's European hopes now take on a different complexion. It is now they, rather than Shakhtar Donetsk, trounced

4-0 last night by AC Milan, who are the favourites for a Uefa Cup place, entering their final Group F encounter at home to Carlo Ancelotti's side.

If last night's match proved anything, however, it is how badly Celtic need a fit Chris Sutton. This team continues to pivot around the contribution of the Englishman, who was restored to the front line alongside John Hartson. Yet his attacking role was nominal as, indeed, was Celtic's. From the first whistle, Sutton dropped into midfield to form a 4-5-1 formation as the team tried to suffocate Barcelona before they reached the final third. And, to be fair, for 24 minutes it worked.

By the time Samuel Eto'o scored the opener, however, the home side's possession had manifested itself in the final third, where Ronaldinho on the left and Ludovic Giuly on the right had begun to find more and more space. Such is the embarrassment of attacking riches at the Catalan side's disposal that it is easy to overlook the effectiveness of the team unit in praise of individuals.

Yet their success this season has hinged on the introduction of a vigorous midfield pressing game, combined with quick, fluid passing and no little aggression. That policy was evident as the first half progressed, with Rafa Marquez and Xavi Hernandez working tirelessly to give their attackers a platform to perform.

The opener was a goal laced with individual brilliance. Galloping through the heart of Celtic's defence, Eto'o traded passes with Deco before sliding the ball under goalkeeper Magnus Hedman.

Ronaldinho's relationship with a ball continues to be different from that achieved by anyone else and, after the opener, he popped up with alarming regularity on Celtic's right flank. With Giuly and Belletti motoring up and down the opposite side Celtic looked to be in peril, yet that period illustrated a strange anomaly within this Barcelona side.

For a team flooded with attack-minded players, they lack a natural goal-poacher. It is single-goal victories, rather than annihilations, which have carried them to the top of La Liga and, two minutes after his goal, Eto'o was presented with a golden chance but angled his shot wide. Giuly was culpable soon after with the goal gaping. The Spaniards were to pay for their profligacy.

Celtic's equaliser was a ruthless exploitation of their strengths. A Stilian Petrov

free kick on Celtic's left was flicked on at the near post by Stanislav Varga and John Hartson was lurking at the back post to level.

The equaliser shifted the balance of the game, however fractionally, back towards Celtic and gave them renewed belief for the second half. Long-range efforts stung Hedman's palms but that was a sure sign that they were no longer susceptible to being carved open.

With two minutes left, the sight of Carles Puyol frothing at the mouth after conceding a free kick to Ross Wallace confirmed that Barca had been hustled out of their stride. Celtic had their point.