LUBO! LUBO! LUBO!

It was 22 years ago this week that the Slovakian genius arrived in Paradise

- PAUL CUDDIHY

DEBUT BHOY

Lubomir Moravcik’s arrival at Celtic was met with indifference by the Scottish press. One columnist was moved to describe the transfer as ‘laughable’ and label him as nothing more than one of Dr Jozef Venglos’ ‘pals’. Yet after 90 mercurial minutes in his debut match against Dundee, which Celtic won 6-1 on November 7, 1998, everyone realised that Celtic had a special talent on their hands. He was outstanding, with his sublime cross for Henrik Larsson’s hat-trick goal the highlight of the match. Costing just £200,000 from Duisburg, Moravcik immediately looked like the steal of the decade.

DERBY DOUBLE: PART 1

Lubo had been a Celtic player for less than a month by the time Rangers arrived at Celtic Park for the first Glasgow derby of the 1998/99 season. It’s a game that can make or break even seasoned professionals but Lubo was born for this stage. Some 11 minutes had elapsed when he stepped on to Larsson’s dummy and whipped an unerring left-foot finish into the bottom corner from 18 yards. Just four minutes into the second half, Lubo was at it again – powering home a bullet header to give Celtic a 2-0 lead. A Larsson double and a solitary Mark Burchill strike rounded off the famous 5-1 victory.

OH PARADISE IN THE SUN