Some Celtic fans yet to book their summer holidays may be hoping their team draw Valletta in the Champions League qualifiers later this month. Malta is a popular tourist destination at the worst of times so a trip there to see Celtic would go down well.
Fans would certainly be on board with the idea but how would Neil Lennon and his team feel if they were sent to the southern tip of Europe? Let’s take a look at the opposition they’d face.
Who are Valletta FC?
Valletta have won 25 domestic titles – exactly half of Celtic’s overall total. They won their latest honour on goal difference ahead of Hibernians. Valletta won 18 of their 26 league matches, drawing four and losing four.
Next season will be the eighth time they’ve participated in the Champions League since the turn of the century. They’ve made it past the first qualifier on three occasions, most recently in 2016 when they eliminated B36 Torshavn before going out to Red Star Belgrade.
They lost both of their European ties last season, first in the Champions League to Kukesi and then in the Europa League to Zrinjski Mostar.
Celtic have only ever faced Maltese opposition on one occasion. In 1971 we came up against Sliema Wanderers and dispatched them 7-1 on aggregate.
Most people would be predicting a similar outcome if Celtic were to come up against Valletta next season.
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