THE most cursory of trawls through the internet shows Jonatan Soriano in the company of such as Robert Lewandowski, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Lionel Messi and Diego Costa in UEFA's list of top forwards of the year.
In contrast, another click reveals Leigh Griiffiths in the company of a bunch of bevviers in an Edinburgh pub.
More than five years would seem to separate the 29-year-old Brazilian from the younger Scot. Soriano has scored 13 goals in the past two Europa League competitions. Griffiths has never scored in Europe. Soriano has scored 53 goals in this calendar year while Griffiths has been on light duties for Celtic, not starting a game since August. Until last night, that is.
The two men, separated by form and expectation shared the same pitch, at Celtic Park. Their very presence seemed symbolic of the realities facing their sides. Soriano, sleek, casual, was the embodiment of a relaxed but energetic Salzburg side that threatened to consign Celtic to an overwhelming defeat with an early onslaught.
Griffiths, in contrast, was merely enthusiastic, his presence testifying to the truth that Ronny Deila has limited faith in Stefan Scepovic, for whom Celtic laid out more than £2m.
So while Soriano was gently prompting a vibrant side to two-goal lead, Griffiths was chasing lost causes with the affecting willingness of a Labrador chasing a plastic poke in a playpark.
But he must be doing something right. This was the sort of rehabilation that would impress
a Chicago parole board of the 1920s.
Once destined for perdition (or at least a loan move to Hibernian), Griffiths has clambered back into contention after being knocked out of the ring. While he has obviously done this by dint of diligent training, there is still a stuttering malfunction in both the player and the particularly when pressed by competent opposition.
So it was last night. Salzburg are fluid, quick to close down and organised. They are not of the highest class yet they caused Celtic severe vexation, especially in the first quarter of the match.
They did not have to be brilliant to cause problems that were only answered by Craig Gordon picking the ball out of the net and the game being restarted.
Soriano, for example, may be included in that illustrious UEFA list but he scorned two good chances and was an intermittent rather than constantly compelling figure. He did, though, 'score' from an indirect free-kick, but not even
Wee Lionel is allowed to do that.
Celtic, then, were initially undone by defensive sloppiness, particularly at setpieces, a midfield that found it difficult to keep possession and almost impossible to use any of that limited amount to good effect and an attack that was given a sentence of hard labour with no chance of remission.
Yet they toiled on. This was a match that could have been over as a contest following Alan's two first-half goals but was salvaged, if only terms of self-respect, by a defiant attitude epitomised by no one more than Griffiths.
He managed to escape the cull presented by substitutions with Kris Commons, James Forrest and Alexsandar Tonev all joining him as Anthony Stokes, Callum McGregor and Charlie Mulgrew went off.
This, of course, condemned Scepovic to being on the bench all night.
If Griffiths has been partially redeemed, then the Serb still has to persuade the manager of his worth.
Soriano, too, was replaced but he could be given a rest with Salzburg leading 2-1 and the game drifting towards a meaningless for a side already through to the knockout stages before kick-off.
It was tempting to believe that the scene was thus set for a 24-year-old Scot to grab some of the limelight hogged by the Spaniard who mixes with such as Alexis Sanchez and Gareth Bale, at least on that UEFA list of forwards of the year. Griffiths, though, mixed effort with a tinge of bad luck and the merest dollop of poor technique.
He almost took a chance to bring Celtic level. He headed powerfully at the back post from a deep cross from Emilio Izaguirre but Peter Gulacsi saved well. He was also offered the chance to equalise when Tonev found the byeline but that left foot of Griffiths swung over the ball rather than through it.
The crowd sighed. They groaned when Salzburg broke to good effect in the 90h minute and Naby Keita took the game beyond Celtic with a neat header after a Gordon block.
They could cheer at the final whistle. Matters in Romania ensured that Celtic are now in the last 32 of the Europa League. Griffiths has been given another chance.
And so too have the Scottish champions. It remains to be seen whether they will take it.
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