Celtic have domestic matters to deal with before they can re-ignite their Champions League campaign in the New Year.
On Sunday, Celtic will lock horns with Rangers in the League Cup final and then it’s Premiership game on top of Premiership game.
As of this moment, Brendan Rodgers has masterminded his team to a nine-point lead over second-placed Aberdeen – and that with a game in hand.
And you presume, by the time Celtic’s Champions League clash against Young Boys on 22 January takes place, then that gap will be bigger and it will allow Rodgers to focus more on European matters.
The reason is that Celtic are going to need it because they still require those extra few points to all but secure a Champions League play-off spot.
Young Boys are bottom of the pile. They have lost all their games and they have conceded an unwanted Champions League high of 22 goals.
If the champions dare drop points here, then they will need to get something from the all-British showdown against Aston Villa on January 29, with Alan Brazil and Gabby Agbonlahor discussing the matches.
Alan Brazil says Celtic’s Champions League clash v Young Boys the ‘biggest game in recent years’
It has been a long time since Celtic reached the knockout stages of Europe’s elite competition, but now they have their biggest chance yet.
The revamped Champions League format has helped clubs like Celtic and it’s why Alan Brazil agreed that the game against Young Boys will be the ‘biggest game in recent years’.
The former striker added that ‘the whole of the Scottish Premiership’ will be watching the game because it puts more money in the pot, as he told talkSPORT (12/12/24 at 6:10 am).
“Aston Villa are in a great position, six games 13 points to go and finish in the top eight,” claimed Agbonlahor. Brazil stated: “Of course, we have Villa and Celtic coming up.”
Agbonlahor then added: “That’s a big game for Celtic as well, their next one, is it Young Boys at home? Oooh.” To which Brazil responded: “We have to beat them. Celtic will beat them.”
Agbonlahor then asked: “I was thinking about this. Do you think that’s Celtic’s biggest game in recent years, in Europe? That will be some atmosphere.” To which Brazil answered: “Yes, definitely. I think the whole of the Scottish Premiership will be watching because, if Celtic qualify, it’s more money and puts them in an even stronger position.”
Agbonlahor added: “If Celtic win that game, then I think that’s them guaranteed a play-off position. It would put them on 12 points. That would be some lively atmosphere at home to Young Boys.”
What happens if you finish on the same number of points in the league phase of the Champions League?
One defeat and you can drop like a stone. It’s such a jam-packed league table and there are some teams in serious danger of dropping out altogether.
Manchester City and Real Madrid are hovering above the elimination zone, and even if they qualify, it probably won’t be in the top eight.
As of this moment, Celtic are on nine points, the same as Real Madrid, but what happens if you finish the league phase on the same number of points, how do UEFA determine who finishes higher? Because it’s bound to happen given the number of teams there are.
Well, they have their criteria:
- Superior goal difference in the league phase
- Higher number of goals scored in the league phase
- Higher number of away goals scored in the league phase
- Higher number of wins in the league phase
- Higher number of away wins in the league phase
- Higher number of points obtained collectively by league phase opponents
- Superior collective goal difference of league phase opponents
- Higher number of goals scored collectively by league phase opponents
- Lower disciplinary points total based only on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials in all league phase matches (red card = 3 points, yellow card = 1 point, expulsion for two yellow cards in one match = 3 points)
- Higher club coefficient
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