Celtic will have three opportunities to stay in UEFA competition until Christmas next season.
Qualifying starts for the Bhoys in the UEFA Champions League and everyone will be hoping we can come through a difficult gauntlet in the League Route.
In recent years we’ve had an easier challenge in the Champions Route and have still not managed to make the group stage of the competition.
This summer we could end up facing off against the runners-up of some big leagues around the continent.
However, have no fear, there are parachutes into the Europa League and if it goes entirely pear-shaped there too, there’s always the Europa Conference League.
Yes, a new, third UEFA tournament is being launched next season as a final softening blow for teams who underperform in the grander competitions.
So, how does it all work?
Well, here’s a handy flowchart courtesy of our YouTube channel. After, I’ll go into a bit more detail on all three tournaments and explain it all as clearly as I can.
Celtic and the Champions League
Celtic have three rounds to navigate to reach the group stage of the competition, starting from the Second Qualifying Round.
We will be seeded at that stage, but will still face a standard of opponent we’d ordinarily expect to compete against at Europa League group stage level. It’s tough.
- If Celtic lose in the Champions League Second Qualifying Round, we go into the Europa League Third Qualifying Round.
- If Celtic lose in the Champions League Third Qualifying Round or the Playoff, we go directly into the Europa League group stage.
Essentially it means if we progress as seeds from our first European tie of the season we’re guaranteed group stage football until Christmas. It’s a change from previous years when Third Qualifying losers had to take part in a Europa League playoff.
The first draw of the summer will be on 16th June, with our first game played on the 20th or 21st July.
Celtic and the Europa League
The earliest we can enter this tournament is at the Third Qualifying Round, meaning we’d have two rounds to navigate to reach the group stage.
- If Celtic lose in the Europa League Third Qualifying Round, we go into the Europa Conference League playoff.
- If Celtic lose in the Europa League playoff, we go into the Europa Conference League group stage.
Obviously, the riches of the Champions League is what we are aiming for, but progression into the group stage of this competition would be a decent result for the incoming manager.
I certainly wouldn’t see it as a failure.
Celtic and the new UEFA Europa Conference League
The Europa Conference League is designed to give smaller clubs from obscurer nations a taste of European football, but it also serves as a softer landing pad for the big teams such as Celtic who have struggled in qualifying.
The earliest we can take part is at the playoff stage and that will only be if Celtic lose two successive European ties this summer.
Win that and it’s through to the group stage which will feature 32 teams.
Interestingly, it also serves as a tournament for the third-placed teams from the Europa League group stage, copying the format of the Champions League groups into the Europa League knockouts.
Third-placed teams in the Europa groups go into the preliminary knockout stage after Christmas to face the runners-up of the Conference groups.
All clear? If you’re still confused, apologies!
If not, you can check out our YouTube video on the matter, where Hamish complicates things further with potential opponents and seedings!
In other news, Celtic goalkeeping coach Ryan Marshall signs as a player for League Two side.
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