If Celtic are to make it to the group stage of the Champions League next season then they’ll have to win four consecutive qualification ties over eight weeks.
With the likes of Young Boys, Slavia Prague and Ludogorets potentially lying in wait, this could be the toughest year ever for the Hoops to qualify.
However, Celtic’s prospects of playing group stage football of some kind are still high thanks to a Europa League tweak first introduced last year.
A second chance
Just like in Champions League qualifying, Celtic can play only league winners in the Europa League too. We’re also guaranteed to parachute into Europe’s secondary competition even if we go out in the very first Champions League tie.
Celtic won’t come up against any big-hitter in either the Champions League or Europa League. In previous years, we’ve been knocked out of both competitions by non-champions from the likes of Portugal, Holland and England. That won’t happen this time around.
Even if we’re knocked out in Champions League QR1 then we’ll get a second bite of the cherry. That would be in the Europa League against another team already knocked out of the Champions League.
Getting to the Champions League may be a tough ask but the Europa League is certainly still achievable.
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