Celtic beat Sturm Graz to impact Scotland’s coefficient and secure UEFA payday

Add as preferred source on Google

Celtic were the only Scottish European victors on Thursday night.

The Hoops delivered a comeback win over Sturm Graz as goals from Liam Scales and Benjamin Nygren earned a first three points of the Europa League campaign.

Sturm Graz were on the verge of doing the double over Rangers and Celtic in the same season, the first time that would have happened since Barcelona in 2007.

But Scales’ excellent finish and Nygren’s close-range header lifted spirits at Celtic Park and prompted Brendan Rodgers to upgrade his Honda Civics to Range Rover Sports.

Rangers lost 3-0 away to SK Brann, while Aberdeen were humiliated by AEK Athens in Greece by a 6-0 scoreline.

So what did Celtic’s win do to Scotland’s UEFA coefficient? And how much UEFA prize money did the Bhoys earn?

• READ MORE: Brendan Rodgers takes shots at ‘the experts outside’ of Celtic after superb win vs Sturm Graz

Celtic add 0.4 points to Scotland’s UEFA coefficient

For a Europa League league phase victory, UEFA award 0.4 points to a country’s coefficient for the season.

This was the first time a Scottish side won a league phase encounter this campaign, with Rangers and Aberdeen yet to deliver on that front.

Scotland’s overall coefficient now stands at 29.45 points in 18th place, with the likes of Cyprus, Austria and Switzerland just ahead.

Scotland have added just 2.4 points to their total tally this season, with most of those points earned from teams who were in the qualifying rounds, such as Dundee United.

A place in the top 15 is what Scotland should be targeting, and we are currently 3.05 points away from that position.

Celtic earn €450k with Sturm Graz win

For competing in the Champions League play-off round and subsequently losing, Celtic still earned a cool €4.29m, with a further €4.31m banked for simply participating in the Europa League league phase.

As it stands, the Hoops will pocket €3.26m and €1.92m from UEFA’s European and non-European value pillars respectively.

And as far as performance bonuses stand, Celtic have earned €600k – that’s €150k for the Red Star Belgrade draw and €400k for the victory over Sturm Graz.

It means in total, Celtic are guaranteed €14.4m in UEFA prize money. How much more can they add to that sum?