Europe has been a bit of a pain for Celtic over the years.
But this season, UEFA revamped their format, and it worked to the benefit of many clubs, including the champions of Scotland, Celtic.
That was proven by Celtic’s progress in the Champions League, and reaching the play-off stages, where they were cruelly knocked out by Bayern Munich following a stoppage-time Alphonso Davies goal.
Over in the Europa League, there is a bit of a Celtic connection to the semi-finals because former Hoops manager, Ange Postecoglou, is in the semi-final with Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs will play Bodo/Glimt in the last four, a team, Celtic and Postecoglou, unfortunately, know too well following that nightmare in the Conference League back in 2022.
But given the teams in the last four of the Europa League, as well as the change of format, Michael Stewart asked a pretty ridiculous question regarding Celtic on that matter.
Michael Stewart on Celtic being better off in the Europa League rather than the Champions League
In the old format, if you finished third in the group stages of the Champions League, then you would drop down into the Europa League.
That is now out of the window, so you either progress or get eliminated.
As a result of that, Stewart asked the Premier Sports panel, which included Alan Hutton, presenter Darrell Currie and Neil Lennon, as to whether Celtic are better off playing in the Europa League, because they have a better chance of winning it, rather than playing in Europe’s elite competition.
That ridiculous suggestion even left Hutton and Currie surprised, as they told their fellow pundit, ‘it has got to be Champions League’.
“I was going to throw this question out to you because Europe has changed now,” said Stewart.
“In a perfect world, before, it would have been, have a start in the Champions League, have a good campaign, drop down into the Europa League and try to potentially win it. That’s not possible now.
“So, here is the scenario. Would you forgo a season in the Champions League to then potentially get a favourable draw and have a real shot at going and winning the Europa?
“You look at Bodo/Glimt, in the semi-final of the Europa League, nobody is going to tell me that Celtic couldn’t compete with that last four. Man United. Tottenham. Bodo/Glimt. And Athletic.”
Hutton then shouted in the background: “I am picking Champions League, me.” Even host Darrel Currie looked baffled and added, “It has got to be Champions League.”
Neil Lennon on Celtic in the Champions League and the Europa League
Lennon has been there on big European nights at Celtic Park, as a player and a manager, including that famous night against Barcelona.
There is no way the fans, the man in the dugout or the players would pick the Europa League over the Champions League.
And Lennon listed the reasons to Stewart, even though he admitted that he could see the Hoops reaching this season’s last four of the Europa League, if they were in that competition.
Lennon stated: “It is a great question, but I would say that the Champions League is the blue ribbon event. I know exactly the point you are trying to make.
“Would Celtic be in the semi-finals? You probably think they would have.
“But, for me, the blue ribbon event is always the Champions League, and if you are in it, then you want to progress as far as you can.
“One, it makes you better. It makes you a better manager. And, two, financially, it’s far superior to what the Europa League can offer.”
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