Atletico Madrid have cranked up the heat ahead of tomorrow's Champions League showdown with Celtic...by wearing a special strip to commemorate an infamous match at Parkhead widely regarded as one of football's dirtiest-ever games.
Celtic face Atletico in the third round of games in the group stages, with the Hoops aiming for their first points in the section following defeats to Feyenoord and Lazio.
And the in-form La Liga side have announced they will wear an exact replica of the strip they wore on a shameful night for football 49 years ago.
Celtic's 1974 European Cup semi-final battle with the Spaniards at Parkhead became one of the most notorious games in the history of the club after Atletico had three players sent off and seven booked in a goalless draw in Glasgow, before the hosts won the return leg to qualify for the Final.
Atletico were widely condemned for their behaviour at Parkhead, which even saw Glasgow police step in to break up the altercations, although they were only fined £14,000 by UEFA.
Celtic fans were urged not to travel for the second leg in Spain and there were death threats issued to Jimmy Johnstone and manager Jock Stein.
The Spaniards won the second leg 2-0, with Rodriguez scoring the second goal on the night, although they were eventually thrashed 4-0 in the final by Bayern Munich after a replay.
Atletico legend Miguel Reina has admitted his teammate Ruben Diaz could have decapitated Jimmy Johnstone with one of his tackles in an interview a few years ago and Diaz himself later accepted he would have been jailed for the assaults on the late Celt if he had carried them out today.
But Atletico plan to honour their team from that day by wearing a special retro strip.
The club's president, Enrique Cerezo, said: "This Wednesday we meet again with a historic club in a mythical stadium, Celtic Park, where we will have the honor of reliving a duel that half a century later continues to remain in the memory of all Atletico players."
And Atletico's captain that night, 84-year-old Adelardo Rodríguez, added: "For all the players who played in that match, and that great European Cup, it is a huge recognition that fifty seasons later, the team is wearing the same uniform again at Celtic Park.
"It fills us with pride now as it filled us with pride then. That semi-final was very special, we had just won the League the previous season and we eliminated a European champion at a very good moment in our careers."
