Inter Milan have knocked Celtic out of the Europa League by recording a 4-3 aggregate win in their last-32 tie.
The Hoops came into the game as the underdogs following a 3-3 draw in last week's first leg and their hopes of winning took a blow when Virgil van Dijk was sent off in the first half.
It allowed Inter to take control of the match, but they had to wait until the 88th minute to make the breakthrough, as Fredy Guarin fired in from range to secure their place in the last 16.
Read how the action unfolded below.
Hello everyone! The Europa League returned with a bang last week and the standout tie of the round saw Inter Milan and Celtic share a remarkable 3-3 draw. They meet again in today's second leg and we'll be bringing you all of the action taking place at the San Siro.
It really was an extraordinary game that took place at Celtic Park. Xherdan Shaqiri and Rodrigo Palacio struck early on to give Inter a two-goal lead, but Celtic came roaring back and Stuart Armstrong reduced the deficit, before Hugo Campagnaro turned the ball into his own net moments later.
A second goal for Palacio on the stroke of half time looked to have won the match for the visitors, but three minutes into stoppage time John Guidetti fired into the top corner to level the scores once again and give Celtic hope. Inter have the advantage due to their three away goals, but they have been far from solid at home this season and the Hoops will surely fancy their chances of an upset.
It will be certainly a special night #InterCeltic #SanSiro pic.twitter.com/r0FoecI39f
— Alessandro Massimo (@UEFAcomAleM) February 26, 2015
TEAM NEWS: Inter have made five changes to the side that beat Cagliari on Monday evening, with Andrea Ranocchia, Danillo D'Ambrosio, Hernanes, Xherdan Shaqiri and Rodrigo Palacio all returning to the starting lineup. Meanwhile, there are three changes for Celtic, with Gary Mackay-Steven, Stuart Armstrong and Adam Matthews coming into the side. John Guidetti will lead their attack, but Kris Commons is forced to settle for a place on the bench.
INTER MILAN XI: Carrizo, D'Ambrosio, Ranocchia, Juan Jesus, Santon, Guarin, Medel, Hernanes, Shaqiri, Icardi, Palacio
CELTIC XI: Gordon, Matthews, Denayer, Van Dijk, Izaguirre, Brown, Bitton Mackay-Steven, Johansen, Armstrong, Guidetti
INTER MILAN SUBS: Handanovic, Campagnaro, Vidic, Kuzmanovic, Obi, Kovacic, Puscas
CELTIC SUBS: Zaluska, Ambrose, Stokes, Commons, Wakaso, Forrest, Henderson
If Celtic are to claim a famous win at the San Siro, then they could not be in much better form ahead of tonight's match. They have won their last seven league games and sit three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership. You have to go back more than three months for their last defeat, which was a 2-1 loss at Dundee United just a few days before Christmas.
Inter are also playing well and have won three in the bounce in Serie A. They are now up to eighth in the table and sit just four points behind Fiorentina in the final European qualifying spot. It has been a turbulent season, but Roberto Mancini's side are now well on course for a strong finish.
10 - Inter Milan are unbeaten in their last 10 European games (incl. qualifiers): six wins and four draws. Ready. #InterCeltic #UEL
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) February 26, 2015
PREDICTION: I must admit that I don't think we will see quite as much excitement as last week's first leg. This will be a far tighter affair and a single goal will probably be enough to seal a place in the last 16. Celtic did extremely well to salvage a draw, but I don't see Inter letting the win slip from their grasp tonight. So, I am going to tip the hosts to claim a 1-0 victory and continue their recent upturn in form.
The teams have just made their way out of the tunnel and out onto the pitch at the San Siro. We are now just three minutes away from the start of this crucial European clash!
KICKOFF! We are underway at the San Siro!
Less than 30 seconds into the game Celtic have a problem, with Matthews down inside his own box. There looked to be a coming together between him and Palacio as a cross came into the box and he is now receiving some treatment from the medical staff.
Matthews is now back on the pitch and he seems to have shaken off that earlier knock. That would have been a huge blow for the visitors had they been forced into making a substitution so early on.
As expected, Inter are seeing a lot of the ball in the opening five minutes. They are playing it around sharply between their midfielders, but Gordon has not been forced into making a save of note yet.
SAVE! What a massive chance this is for Celtic! A ball over the top from Izaguirre catches out the Inter defence and Mackay-Steven finds himself through on goal. He then looks to place a low effort into the corner, but Carrizo spreads himself well to block the shot.
CHANCES! This game is starting to come to life now and Inter go straight down the other end with Palacio curling an attempt straight at Gordon. Moments later Guarin works some room outside the box and lashes in a powerful strike that heads a few inches wide of the far post.
There are some really encouraging signs for Celtic, who are certainly holding their own at this point in the match. They are looking especially strong down the right hand side and have got in behind on that flank more than once this evening already.
PENALTY APPEAL! The visitors scream for a penalty when Armstrong goes down inside the box following a clumsy challenge from behind by Santon. The referee was just yards away and had a great view, but he decided to give nothing and Inter escape.
At the moment, Celtic are very much on top and they are taking the game to their opponents. Inter have given the ball away cheaply on a couple of occasions and they are looking slightly nervous at the back.
Despite the positive start to the match by Celtic, they have had to cope with some dangerous moments in their own box. This time it's Icardi who comes sliding in to meet Santon's drilled low ball across the box, but he can't quite stretch enough and it ends up heading harmlessly out of play.
The visitors have another shout for a spot kick when Jesus appears to drag down Guidetti inside the box. There was very little contact between the players though and once again the referee gives nothing.
At this point in the match last week we had already seen four goals, but we are still waiting for the opener today, despite a very open first half. Celtic are still looking the better side and their manager will be delighted if they can keep up this pressure throughout the evening.
YELLOW CARD! Van Dijk picks up the first booking of the match for a foul on Palacio and that means he will be banned from Celtic's next European match.
We have seen a few injury scares and Palacio is the latest player to have picked up a knock. He was left on the floor after being caught by Izaguirre and is now on the sidelines receiving treatment.
Inter haven't really created a standout chance, but they are getting in down the right quite easily. Guarin is the man who breaks free this time and delivers a teasing cross, but Gordon does well to claim the ball and hold on under pressure.
RED CARD! Disaster for Celtic as Van Dijk is sent off for picking up his second yellow card of the evening. He was caught out as Icardi ran in behind him and he dragged the striker down. It was a clear foul and there can be no complaints from the visitors, who face a mammoth challenge now.
What an outstanding save this is from Gordon. Hernanes whips a great free kick into the box that is met by Icardi, but the keeper somehow turns the ball over the bar. The flag was actually raised by the fourth official for an offside, but that was stunning from the keeper.
SUBSTITUTION: Celtic are making a change following that red card, with Ambrose coming on and Mackay-Steven the man being sacrificed.
CHANCE! Inter are now starting to dominate and they come close to taking the lead when Ranocchia meets a corner, but he can't quite keep the header down and it ends up going over the bar.
CHANCE! The hosts continue to pile on the pressure and when the ball drops kindly to D'Ambrosio at the back post he drills in a low strike that is well saved by Gordon. It's safe to say that the keeper is going to be a very busy man for the remainder of this match!
We are going to have two minutes of stoppage time at the end of this first half.
HALF-TIME: Inter Milan 0-0 Celtic
The first half comes to an end and it's still goalless here at the San Siro, but Celtic are down to 10 men thanks to dismissal of Virgil van Dijk. It means that the Hoops will now have an uphill struggle to qualify, despite a very promising start to the game.
Inter have bossed possession in the opening 45 minutes, enjoying 63% of the ball. They have also had 10 shots on goal compared to four from Celtic, but up until the red card it was a very even affair and it really could have gone either way.
LIVE - First photos from #InterCeltic. Check out the #Nerazzurri in action at San Siro #ForzaInter pic.twitter.com/VbkbbYGtvO
— F.C. Internazionale (@Inter_en) February 26, 2015
There's plenty of other fixtures taking place in Europe at the moment and it is also goalless in the matches between Liverpool and Besiktas and Tottenham and Fiorentina. A couple of teams have already booked their place in the last 16, with Dinamo Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg claiming home wins in Russia.
The teams are back out on the pitch and we are now just a few moments away from the start of the second half!
Celtic take the kick off and get us back underway!
SHOT! The Bhoys have made a bright start to the second half, but its Inter who have the first chance. Palacio is slid in down the right and from a tight angle he fires in a strike, but he gets underneath the ball and hammers it high over the bar.
Inter were sloppy in possession in the first half and they have played a couple of poor balls since the break. The crowd are making their feeling known and their frustrations could spill onto the pitch and be used as an advantage for Celtic.
SHOT! It's going to take something special to beat Gordon this evening. He has stopped everything that his come his way and he gets down well to palm clear a low strike from Hernanes.
YELLOW CARD! Izaguirre is the second Celtic player to go into the referee's notebook this evening.
SAVE! Inter have another great chance to take the lead when Icardi is slid through on goal by Guarin, but once again Gordon makes himself big and blocks the strike. This really has been an outstanding display from the keeper, who enjoyed a tough night last week.
SUBSTITUTION: Celtic are going to make a change here, with Forrest coming on to replace Guidetti.
CLOSE! It's surely only a matter of time until Inter take the lead, as they are pegging Celtic back right on the edge of their own box. They create another decent opening here, but this time Gordon is not required to make a save, as Hernanes drills a low strike inches wide of the far post.
The hosts are still very much in charge and Ranocchia has a glimpse of goal from a corner which he can only direct wide of the far post.
CHANCE! Yet again Inter create a very presentable opening. Guarin lifts a decent ball over the top that is flicked into the centre by Palacio. Icardi is free and tries to head the ball goalwards, but he was always stretching and puts it wide of the target.
Ranocchia has been a real threat for Inter from set pieces and he gets on the end of Guarin's free kick, but can't quite wrap his foot around the ball enough to deliver it across the box. Celtic are visibly tiring now and it is understandable after playing with 10 men for so long.
YELLOW CARD! Gordon is shown a card by the referee for time-wasting.
Even though Inter are in control, you get the feeling that there could be something in this for Celtic. They have not posed as much of a threat as they did in the first half, but at this stage just a single goal could send them through.
YELLOW CARD! Guarin is booked for bringing down Johansen as he looked to break clear.
SUBSTITUTION: It's a final change for Celtic, as Commons is now on the pitch, with Armstrong making way.
DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION: The hosts change things around now, as Kovacic and Campagnaro come on for Hernanes and D'Ambrosio.
SHOT! Well, this would have been a remarkable goal had it gone in. Commons has only just come on, but he picks the ball up just inside the Inter half and goes for goal with a speculative long-range volley. It is well hit, but ends up safely in the hands of the relieved Carrizo.
All Inter need to do now is keep hold of the ball for the next five minutes and they will be through to the last 16. It is exactly what they are doing and Mancini will be desperate for his team not to make any stupid mistakes.
YELLOW CARD! Bitton is the latest Celtic player to be shown a card.
YELLOW CARD! That makes it five players from the away side be booked, as Matthews sees yellow for bringing down Palacio by the touchline.
Medel is not really known for scoring goals, but when a free kick is headed out to him on the edge of the box he tries his luck with a dipping volley. It's not the worst strike, but it ends up heading well over the bar.
GOAL! Inter Milan 1-0 Celtic (Fredy Guarin)
Inter Milan finally seal their place in the next round with an absolutely stunning goal from Guarin. The Colombian picks the ball up in the middle of the pitch and gets to within 25 yards of the goal, before rifling a powerful strike into the top corner. There was no chance of Gordon saving that and it has finally ended Celtic's slim hopes.
We are going to have three minutes of stoppage time.
FULL-TIME: Inter Milan 1-0 Celtic
It's all over at the San Siro and Inter Milan have booked their place in the last 16. Fredy Guarin's wonderful goal in the final minutes sealed the victory, but it was a brave display from a Celtic side who played for so long with 10 men.
That's all we've got time for here. We've got plenty of European action to come for you tonight so make sure you stick around for that. Until next time, goodbye!
Written by
Alex Meyers
Alex Meyers
