Some Celtic fans react to Champions League draw

Add as preferred source on Google

Sections of the Celtic supporters have been reacting to the Champions League draw today.

The Hoops were paired with either Maccabi Tel-Aviv or CFR Cluj in the third qualifying round of Europe’s premier club competition. That is, of course, if we manage to surge past Nomme Kalju in the second round.

It’s going to be a tough task as we get closer to the group stages of the competition. It’s also the same stage in which Celtic were knocked out of our qualification campaign last season by AEK Athens.

And it’s fair to say the Celtic supporters are generally positive about the draw too. Reacting to the news on Twitter, here’s a look at what sections of our fanbase had to say.

https://twitter.com/munkibhoy/status/1153316366541303808

https://twitter.com/CelticArmchair/status/1153246952991199232

https://twitter.com/stevenfriel91/status/1153245948799307782

Champions League draw could’ve been better and worse

There’s no denying the best draw we could’ve obtained today was the winners of Valletta and Ferencvaros. Unfortunately, we avoided that scenario, and are instead up against a decent outfit regardless of the outcome.

Celtic have never faced either side in European competition, but have won just one of five visits to Romania and Israel respectively. Tel-Aviv haven’t reached the Champions League group stages since 2015. That was their only visit to the promised land since the 2004-05 season too.

For Cluj, their last season in the Champions League groups came back in 2012-13. They’ve yet to taste group stage competition in either European tournament since then. Last season, they managed to reach the Europa League playoff round before being knocked out by Dudelange.

So both sides will be tough regardless of who we face. As one fan said their Twitter post, however, we shouldn’t expect to be mixing it with the big boys in Europe if we can’t knock out opposition of this level.

It’s a tough task should we get past Nomme Kalju. But nobody at Parkhead will be quaking their boots over it. It provides us with a chance to progress further than last season, and arrest the frustrating demons of the Athens tie.