Celtic are ready to take on the challenges the Champions League throws at them across their third consecutive season competing in the competition proper.
This time around, the new Swiss-style format poses different obstacles to overcome, with the draw presenting eight different ties against some star-studded opponents.
Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, RB Leipzig and Aston Villa pose the most potent threats. Meanwhile, tomorrow night’s clash against Slovan Bratislava, alongside ties against Club Brugge, Dinamo Zagreb and Young Boys, may be where points are most viable.
Brendan Rodgers will be hoping for an improvement on last term, where Celtic bowed out of the old group stage set-up with four points to their name.
Despite coming close several times, the Bhoys won once against Feyenoord and took a draw at Celtic Park against Atletico Madrid, losing their other encounters.
Speaking ahead of facing Bratislava, Rodgers has outlined some lessons Celtic have learned from their dealings in the tournament last campaign.
Brendan Rodgers on Celtic Champions League lessons learned
Live on Sky Sports News, Rodgers has admitted that fine margins cost his side in the competition last year and believes the new-found strength of his first-team squad will be better equipped to handle the Champions League this term.
He stated: “For me (the way) I look at it, I thought last year was decisive moments apart from the game away in Madrid where we lost the man early on in the game and we got punished by a team that got to the quarter-final who made real good use of playing against ten men.
“I think the other games, I thought we showed up well in. We could’ve won the Lazio game, we should never have lost it, so that’s a learning (curve). Feyenoord at home, we were good, we won the game. Away in Feyenoord, we were right in the game, had the best opportunities early on and then we concede just before half-time and then we obviously lose two men in the game, so that was a challenge.
“So, I think there was a lot of learning in it, but for me looking at it, I’m thinking ‘if we could strengthen the squad, then we could take another step’ and be closer and we’ve been able to do that. I think that we’ve seen that through pre-season.
“We used the games against Manchester City and Chelsea as Champions League preparation games, and how we set the team up and how we tried to play and work, so I think we arrive into it hopefully having learned from last season and knowing that at this level, it is about the details, not just the details, the really small details that make a difference.
“Every team you play, like the questions, the narrative with Bratislava and whatever else, every team that comes here thinks they’re a big team. When you’re a champion of your own country, whatever that country is, then you believe that you’re a really good team and that’s why you play in the Champions League.”
Celtic know they will be judged on Champions League exploits
Celtic supporters will be rejoicing about their positive start to the domestic campaign. Regardless, there is an acute awareness that the club’s wider progression will be judged in Europe’s premier competition.
Financially, the Bhoys are streets ahead of anyone else in Scotland. To make the point a little more obvious, they generated £124.6 million in revenue over the past year.
Supporters have demanded improvement in the Champions League over the last few years; they are hungry for success amid the backdrop of cash reserves staring them in the face.
With a nice chunk of that spent on summer additions, the time is now for Celtic to strike on the continent and make some long-lasting memories.
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