Find a Celtic fan who would not have raised even an ironic cheer had he done so - 18 months after acknowledging that he could not perform in front of a fanatical home support - and Martin O'Neill will sit cross-legged for 90 minutes in the dug-out.

They expected fate to do the old boy a favour, and Brattbakk himself felt similarly.

But as with his 30-month sojourn as the butt of countless jokes, the occasion ended up passing the former accountancy student by. The story of Brattbakk's time at Celtic, in other words.

For a spell, many were desperate to believe that it was Harald who had jumped in the wall at Alan Thompson's free-kick. Honest Harald would hardly hide his role in securing success for the team he possibly still feels he owes, they said.

As it turned out, Brattbakk managed to avoid the headlines at a resolute Celtic Park. Still, he offered as great a threat as anyone bar man-of-the-match Orjan Berg.

In a new position for home fans, Harald operated successfully for an hour in a wide-left forward role. The semi-fit Neil Lennon was busy losing Berg over much of that time, and Brattbakk's pace, allied to hitherto-unseen control, made him a real menace.

The gigantic roar which had accompanied the announcement of his name before kick-off was more than justified, and not just for the vital contribution he made in Juventus' earlier draw against Rosenborg. So it was a happy comeback of sorts, but even Brattbakk admitted that this Celtic are far superior to the one he left behind under Kenny Dalglish and John Barnes.

Brattbakk's assessment of O'Neill's team was as simple: 'Celtic were embroiled in some pretty turbulent times when I was in Glasgow. The manager was changed every summer, whereas now they have a settled system. That is the major difference.

'We came into the game looking to put up a good fight. Both teams performed well, and in the first half, anyway, we were close to creating real chances. But even in defeat, it was a good away game for us.

'The goal was disappointing, because the ball went through two players in the wall. One of the guys was expecting a curled shot, so he jumped. I don't think Alan Thompson got a clean strike on the ball.

'It is going to be even more difficult now to finish in the top two and qualify from this group - but it is possible for us to make it.

'However, from our point of view, there is still a fight for third place and the UEFA Cup spot. Celtic didn't dominate us, and while they are in a strong position, they now have to play two away games.