Georgios Samaras was a talismanic figure for Celtic in the Champions League and knows more than most about succeeding in the competition.
Combining qualifiers and the old group stage, the former Hoops striker scored nine times and was heavily relied upon in 2012/13 when the Bhoys shocked the world by getting to the knockout stages in a group with Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow.
However, it is now over to the latest crop of Celtic players to make history. The new Swiss-style format presents exciting new challenges as four home matches and another quartet of away ties lay in wait.
Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Aston Villa are among the opponents Brendan Rodgers will need to prepare for in the league phase. Slovan Bratislava are up first at Celtic Park, while ties against Club Brugge, Young Boys and Dinamo Zagreb offer other opportunities for points.
Speaking ahead of the Bhoys entering the tournament next week, Samaras is excited to see what his old side can achieve on the European stage.
Georgios Samaras on Celtic’s Champions League chances
Pointing out the fact that Rodgers has his side all singing from the same hymnsheet, Samaras believes there is room for cautious optimism as Celtic head into the Champions League
He said [Daily Record]: “Brendan has done the Champions League before during his last spell at the club, so it is nothing new for him to be there as manager of Celtic.
“The one thing I don’t like is to compare the eras, as in what we did before and compared to what they are doing now. It is two different decades and the football is totally different, you cannot compare it. But I really believe in the boys and the manager that they can have a nice run in Europe.
“You see it from last year. Brendan knows exactly how he wants to play. The only different thing now is how the club and the team will replace the goals and the assists of Matt O’Riley coming from midfield, but for the rest of the team, it is mainly the same.
“There are a few players out and a few in, but it’s a stable club with a stable team.”
Celtic will need new heroes in Champions League push
Wouldn’t it be lovely to have Samaras in the team due to his reliability in the Champions League? All joking aside, Rodgers has a talented squad to pick from in this year’s edition of the competition.
Record signing Arne Engels will be one to watch out for after his £11 million move from Augsburg during the summer. Big things are expected of him, so it will be intriguing to see if he becomes the third prong in midfield beside Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate.
Either way, Celtic need new heroes to step up and make a name for themselves at this level. Nobody is expecting points to be easy to come by, but there is excitement in the air at what the Bhoys could achieve this term.
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