Celtic can’t rely on anyone else in Champions League as early results work against Hoops

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Celtic know what they have to do this evening when Young Boys arrive at Parkhead in the Champions League.

A win would take Celts into the knockout playoff round and mean there would be less pressure on matchday eight at Aston Villa.

Villa boss Unai Emery was livid with his side’s defeat against AS Monaco last night with their fanbase nervous about playing the Hoops next week.

Emery had already issued a warning before last night’s fixture but their loss in France would mean defeat to YB this evening for Celtic would put a playoff spot at serious risk.

Manager Giorgio Contini cautioned Celtic against taking his side lightly but that appeared foolish when YB failed to win their weekend match at home.

• READ MORE: Celtic Champions League prize money banked so far and what Young Boys & Aston Villa results could earn

Celtic know what they need to do vs Young Boys

Still, it is essentially must-win for Celts in front of a packed out house in Glasgow as Callum McGregor refused to become a “nearly-team” in terms of the UCL latter stages.

It has always been in Celtic’s own hands but last night the club and boss Brendan Rodgers might have hoped for some results to go their way in a bid to help them through.

Unfortunately that did not quite materialise with most of the important games working against the Scottish Premiership leaders.

Celts sit 23rd on nine points with just 24 teams making at least the playoff.

Around the Scot giants sat PSV Eindhoven last night as well as VFB Stuttgart who would have made things easier had they failed to pick up points.

Where Celtic sit in the Champions League table

The Dutch giants, however, beat Red Star Belgrade 3-2 away from home to take three points while Stuttgart saw off Slovan Bratislava to also win and move ahead.

Of the other Champions League games Celtic need to watch out for, PSG and Manchester City square off in Paris with both sides just one and two points respectively behind.

A draw would be the ideal result, you might think. But it remains to be seen with both still having one fixture left to push up the table.

Sparta Prague and Shakhtar Donetsk – with two matchdays to go – are also breathing down the neck but victory in Scotland would put those threats to bed.