KIERAN Tierney hopes that watching Celtic mix it with Barcelona, Manchester City and Borussia Moenchengladbach in a glamour Champions League group can inspire another generation of Scottish youngsters to achieve their dreams just like he has.
World superstars such as Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez and Sergio Aguero are all expected in the East End of Glasgow after Roberto Carlos, one of Tierney's favourite players, selected Brendan Rodgers' side last in the whole draw, in Group C yesterday.
Not only is Tierney, famously a Parkhead ball boy on the night back in November 2012 when Celtic defeated the Catalan giants, keen to renew acquaintances with Messi and company, as a boyhood supporter on some of the biggest nights in the club's recent European history he is simply delighted to have provided the club's travelling fans with some more dates for the diary.
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This is a new phase in a European adventure for the 19-year-old which began when, as a Primary One pupil in Lanarkshire, his dad Michael whisked him away to Blackburn for the victory which kick-started the club's run to the 2003 Uefa Cup final in Seville.
"It is madness," said Tierney. "Hard to take in just now. Four years have flown in for me. I can’t believe I was sitting in that corner and now hopefully I’ll be playing against them [Barcelona]. I was sitting just in front of the Green Brigade when Victor Wanyama scored. He scored then ran towards me before checking away at the last minute.
“It just shows you that anything can happen," added the 19-year-old, who missed out through injury when the teams played a friendly in Dublin earlier this season. "Who would have known that the ball boy sitting in front of the Green Brigade would go on to play against them?
"But it will be great for everyone and all the kids who get to come and see the likes of Messi. Aguero has been on fire as well - he is a great, great player. I am looking forward to all the games. It’s going to be tough, but we are not going to just make up the numbers. If we do the right work on the training field you never know what can happen."
Barcelona avenged that 2012 reverse with 1-0 and 6-1 wins in 2013-14, but these are fixtures to make the mouth water. Celtic travel to Barcelona just days after the first Old Firm match of the season next month, then visit Germany on November 1 before rounding things off with the visit to the Etihad in early December.
“There will be people who have booked their flights already," said Tierney. "I remember my dad was always on the phone trying to organise tickets. He used to get the bus – a 30-hour journey sometimes – and it is proper dedication from the fans that go. They work hard and it is brilliant for them to get this.
"Home matches too, coming into school you were so excited, you couldn't concentrate when it was Champions League night," he added. "Nakamura scoring his free kick [against Manchester United] was probably the best memory, then Barcelona after that.
"I didn’t go to Seville but I went to Blackburn in one of the earlier rounds that year," said Tierney. "I think I was in Primary One. But I didn’t go to school the next day – and I don’t think my Dad went to work the next day either! I’m still raging that he didn’t take me to Seville.
Read more: Champions League: Just what are Celtic up against?
"When I had grown up a bit I went to some other away games," he added. "I went to Milan for the last 16 game when Kaka scored the winner in extra time. Stephen McManus was playing at the back that night and it was great to see a Scottish player there. I also went to Barcelona for a game. I’m not even sure of the result then as I’d be lucky if I was ten at the time!"
While the meetings with Barcelona will see Brendan Rodgers attempting to halt his former player Luis Suarez, and new Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola take on his former club, the draw is particularly appealing for Patrick Roberts, the Manchester City winger who is currently on-loan at Celtic, but will be free to play in the matches. “I love watching Celtic play Rangers and games like that and they are friends of ours so it’s an amazing group," said City's director of football Txiki Begiristain. On the subject of Roberts' participation, he said: "Why not? Our target is to make him a better player and play in games such as this so we will see.”
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