Celtic are at risk of getting eliminated from the Europa League this season.
It probably sums up where Celtic are at right now, because only after the turn of the year were the team securing their passage into the knockout stages of the Champions League.
But Celtic have fallen a long way since then, and they have a fight on their hands to win the Premiership title, as well as in Europe.
All whilst having to deal with a heavy winter schedule, on top of Celtic’s mounting injury problems, so Charlie Mulgrew had an unpopular road the club could go down, with Wilfried Nancy expected to come in.
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Celtic resting players in the Europa League
There will be no midweek rest for Celtic until the end of December, with Premiership, European and League Cup games taking centre stage.
Speaking on Go Radio, Mulgrew suggested that Celtic, with Martin O’Neill still in interim charge and Nancy expected to follow suit pretty soon, should start to ‘rest’ players for the Europa League.
Mulgrew admitted that it would be a ‘brave’ call and one he thinks would be ‘sensible’, even though he thinks the fans wouldn’t be happy with it.
“It would be a brave move, though, wouldn’t it?” said Mulgrew. “I think it would be a sensible move for them to start to rest players for the European games.
“But it would be a brave move because they would be getting some stick if they were some players getting rested for these big games.
“The Europa League, unless you are going to get that run to the quarters, semis and the final. You want to be in the Champions League. You don’t really want to be floating about in the Europa League. That’s the reality of it.”
Celtic’s remaining games in the Europa League
It’s a trip to the Netherlands for Celtic on Thursday night, and a clash against Robin van Persie’s struggling Feyenoord side, who have their own issues to deal with.
Both the Hoops and Feyenoord are sitting in the elimination zone after four matches, with O’Neill’s side one point ahead.
Robin van Persie on Feyenoord defeat before Celtic clash
Either way, if Celtic are to get out of the danger zone, they need to start making a move sooner rather than later.
And these are the remaining fixtures for Celtic in Europe:
- Feyenoord (A), November 27
- AS Roma (H), December 11
- Bologna (A), January 22
- Utrecht (H), January 29
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