THE chill wind blown over Scotland by the ice men of Stjarnan is still giving those around Fir Park a shiver down their spines almost 12 months after it first drifted in.
It was the height of summer and Motherwell were seemingly at the peak of their powers. Basking in glorious sunshine, Stuart McCall's team walked on to a sun-drenched pitch on a beautiful summer's evening in Lanarkshire for their Europa League second round qualifier with this unknown entity.
Having only clinched second place in the SPFL Premiership just two months earlier, the Scots who had become European regulars by this point were understandably feeling faintly confident ahead of the meeting with Icelandic minnows Stjarnan, a part-time outfit making their way on the continent for the first time with only 10 fans rattling about in the 4,800-seated away stand for support.
Twenty minutes in and there was little reason to think this would be anything other than routine for Motherwell as two goals from debutant Josh Law had the Scottish side cruising. However, two penalties, the latter coming in the dying seconds, ensured Motherwell's safe passage through to the third round was reliant on them achieving a positive result in the return a week later. The request of a Stjarnan official postmatch as to how many members of the Scottish media would be travelling to Iceland as he needed to know how big to build a press box offered little in the way of optimism of what lay ahead both on and off the park.
Despite taking the lead twice in Garoabaer, Motherwell would eventually bow out in a shock 5-4 aggregate defeat after extra-time. It was a blow that set the tone for the Fir Park club's season and an early setback, in truth, they never recovered from throughout a season that was only saved by some relegation play-off heroics against Rangers.
Of course, Celtic will pose much stiffer opposition than the Motherwell team that crashed and burned little under a year ago. But what do we know about the firepower of their opponents?
Despite being famous throughout the globe and online for their bizarre goal celebrations, a string of insanely-clever choreographed routines that must have them as a shoe-in for Iceland's Got Talent, they have already made a name for themselves on the pitch across the continent.
On their way to face Motherwell, the part-timers banged in the goals against Welsh outfit Bangor City in an 8-0 aggregate win. If then overcoming Well wasn't enough of a feat for them, they then went on to dump out Lech Poznan 1-0 over two legs to earn a glamour tie with Inter Milan in the play-offs, which ultimately resulted in their memorable run being halted by a forgettable 9-0 battering.
It was not enough to put them off winning the Icelandic league, the Urvalsdeild, for the first time in their history. This year they have already clinched the Icelandic Super Cup and currently sit sixth in the league after just eight games.
In terms of familiar faces, well, there aren't that many. Motherwell fans, if they can stand to even face the very name Stjarnan again, will see former Fir Park goalkeeper and Faroe Islands internationalist Gunnar Nielsen. Other notable members of their squad include Viegar Pall Gunnarsson, the Icelandic forward with over 30 caps to his name, and former KR Reykjavik and Iceland striker Garoar Johannsson.
However, Celtic must be aware of the tricky task that is ahead of them. Stjarnan are a club who are clearly enjoying their moment in the sun after seasons in the shadows. It may be the height of summer in Scotland, but the Parkhead club must prepare well to make sure winter is not coming in Iceland.
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