Celtic could be handed a Champions League boost by the league situation in Russia.
We realise it’s still quite early in the morning, so we’ll try to explain this in the simplest terms. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, but the Bhoys could benefit from ongoing drama in the Russian top-flight.
It’s nothing to do with politics, so we’ll leave conspiracy theories at the door.
Essentially, if Spartak Moscow remain in second-place [BBC], Celtic will be seeded for the third-round of Champions League qualifiers. It’s to do with the co-efficient seeding permeations of Spartak finishing above CSKA.
In a battle of Moscow-based teams, CSKA have the higher co-efficient, so if they qualified for the same route as Celtic, the Bhoys would take a slide to face more difficult opposition. As UEFA show, CSKA are ranked 37th, while the Bhoys are 46th [UEFA].
Yep, co-efficient issues! It’s a bizarre, numerical world. Unfortunately, this writer only has Standard Grade Maths. Still, on review, one thing is clear: we need to get behind Spartak Moscow. It’s still a treacherous road to the Europe’s top club competition, but we’re hoping the Moscow side can make it a bit easier.
From Russia with love: Celtic fans craving Champions League need to get behind Spartak Moscow
There is, of course, a link between Celtic and Spartak in recent history. The Bhoys beat Spartak to secure Last-16 Champions League football in 2012 [BBC]. There was also the famous penalty shoot-out in 2008, with heroics from Artur Boruc [UEFA].
They must really not like us.
Additionally, Aiden McGeady moved to the Russian giants in August 2010 [The Guardian], for what was a significant £9.5m fee.
McGeady has spoken about his time in Russia extensively. In 2017, the winger talked to Si Ferry on Open Goal, describing the time the club’s ultras came to speak to the players in the dressing room.
The ex-Celtic man said [Open Goal]:
“We had quite a bad start to the season, lost the first four games, we were bottom of the league.
“The manager comes in and he goes: “Right lads, we’ve got a meeting today, the heads of the ultras are coming”. The Spartak fans were passionate, really, really good fans, but they’d proper ultras as well.
“They’d fly everywhere as well, fly to Siberia, five hours on a flight for an away game, and they’d fill the away section. Unbelievable fans.
“But I was kind of like ‘What’s all this about? Why are the heads of the ultras coming into the training ground?’ He invited them all in. They obviously wanted to speak to us, and he went ‘Yeah, in yous come lads.’
“6 or 7 guys come in. One, the main guy who was talking, the leader, he was just like an ordinary guy, but the rest of them were all skinheads, tattoos everywhere. So he just starts speaking in quite a nice manner, he was angry, but he’s saying things like ‘We have to get better, we support you through everything, but we need more from you’, but while he’s talking there’s this guy next to him just swearing in Russian, and pointing at people.
“…So this guy kept shouting and swearing, then at the end of it they were kind of like “Look lads, we just want you to do well, we support you through everything. Good luck next game, we’ll be there, come over and clap us.”
“And then they walked out, and as they’re walking out they’ve all got guns in the back of their jeans…
“How are they allowed in the training ground with guns? It was mental.”
There’s more in the interview, but needless to say they’re a passionate bunch. Here’s hoping they can make our lives a bit easier.
READ MORE: The speculation linking a modern Celtic favourite with an SPFL dug-out…
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