Group F/Celtic - 0 AC Milan - 0: Celtic's European dream was undone partly in Glasgow and partly in far-away Donetsk as the Scottish champions were left to concentrate on domestic matters only for the rest of the season.
Even the consolation prize of a place in the UEFA Cup was snatched from them, despite a decent home performance and draw against Italian giants Milan.
Events in the Ukraine, where group rivals for that UEFA Cup spot Shakhtar Donetsk beat Barcelona 2-0, ensured the Parkhead team had to win and they failed to do that at home so they can have no real complaints.
The visitors left players of the calibre of Rino Gattuso, Clarence Seedorf, Hernan Crespo and Kaka on the bench at the outset which suggested they, having already qualified, might not be as anxious to win as the home team.
It was an experienced Milan side nevertheless and it was just as well, for they had to weather an early Celtic storm that was led by the precocious talents of Aiden McGeady.
The Irish youngster danced past Fabrizio Coloccini after just three minutes, but Chris Sutton's header from his cross went wide.
McGeady himself then tried his luck with a fierce drive over the bar, but that early pressure came to nothing and there was no sign of glory in Glasgow while the news filtered through of the drama in Donetsk as Shakhtar took an early two-goal lead over Barcelona in the other crucial group game.
Milan, indeed, appeared for most of the rest of the first half to have the measure of the Scottish champions and with no variation on the theme of a barrage of high balls forward for Sutton and John Hartson, it became a fairly comfortable night for Paolo Maldini and company.
The Italians even ventured forward and Magnus Hedman saved well from Andriy Shevchenko before Serginho hit the woodwork with the goalkeeper well beaten.
Milan also looked for a penalty after a Bobo Balde challenge on the Brazilian, but that was dismissed, although a Neil Lennon foul on Massimo Ambrosini was not and he was booked.
Then, in the dying minutes of the half, Celtic launched themselves forward once more and Dida brilliantly touched away a close-range Hartson volley and then somehow blocked a Sutton effort.
Celtic continued where they left off after the break. Stanislav Varga headed an Alan Thompson corner over and it was only Sutton's surprise at a Maldini mistake that prevented him from getting on the end of a neat Hartson flick after another Thompson corner.
It was a frantic finale as Milan, with Seedorf on for Rui Costa, tried to keep Celtic at bay and Valgaeren was denied a penalty after claiming he was pushed by Alessandro Costacurta.
Guardian Service
CELTIC: Hedman, McNamara, Balde, Varga, Valgaeren (Camara 66), Petrov (Juninho Paulista 76), Lennon, Thompson, McGeady, Sutton, Hartson. Subs Not Used: Sylla, Laursen, Maloney, Wallace, Marshall. Booked: Lennon, Camara.
AC MILAN: Dida, Coloccini, Nesta, Maldini, Costacurta, Brocchi, Ambrosini, Dhorasoo (Kaka 86), Serginho, Rui Costa (Seedorf 80), Shevchenko (Crespo 63). Subs Not Used: Fiori, Cafu, Gattuso, Pirlo. Booked: Brocchi.
Referee: K Vassaras (Greece).
Werder Bremen clinched their place in the last 16 of the Champions League when two late strikes by substitute Nelson Valdez secured them a 2-0 win at Valencia .
The Paraguayan striker grabbed his first seven minutes from time to end Valencia's hopes of staying in the competition and he compounded their misery with a well-taken strike from the edge of the area in injury time.
Valencia's evening was further spoiled when midfielder Miguel Angel Angulo was sent off for taking out his frustration with an ugly challenge on Valdez in the final minute of normal time.
The victory ensured the German champions progressed alongside group winners Inter Milan to the next round for the first time in their history.
Milan finished their group campaign with a 3-0 victory over Anderlecht at the San Siro, thanks to goals from Julio Ricardo Cruz and a brace from Obafemi Martins.
Valencia will have to be satisfied with the consolation of defending their UEFA Cup crown.
Valencia needed to win 1-0 or by a margin of two goals to make the next round.
Claudio Ranieri's side showed plenty of enthusiasm in attack but tended to rush things and left some yawning gaps at the back which Werder were able to exploit.
