If Celtic beat Utrecht in the final Europa League group game then automatic qualification will be guaranteed.
We told how before Celtic’s draw in Bologna how the Parkhead club needed a specific set of Europa League results to happen to boost qualification for the automatic knock-out places.
With Celtic sitting 24th in the Europa League table, a win against Utrecht will solidify their place in the automatic qualification places.
Celtic vs Utrecht in the Europa League
Let us know how you think the game will go and drop us your score predictions below.
But is the pathway to the top 16 and the seeded places for the knock-out round really achievable for Martin O’Neill and Celtic?
It is, and here we take a look at the crazy, but not impossible, set of results Celtic would need to break into the top 16 of the Europa League table.
Celtic’s path to the Europa League top 16 starting with big Utrecht win
First off, Celtic must beat Utrecht in the final game. Every fan knows that a draw is leaving it to chance and puts Europa League qualification hopes in the hands of other clubs.
67 Hail Hail writers all predict a Celtic win but most are going for, maximum, a clear two-goal win.
To reach the top 16, Celtic must beat the Dutch club by four goals or more.
That does seem like a stretch, but if Martin O’Neill manages to pull it off, here is how the rest of the results need to go to reach the top third of the table.
How Roma and Nottingham Forest can help Celtic’s Europa League cause
So let’s say Celtic beat Utrecht 4-0 at Parkhead tomorrow, here are the run of results the Bhoys need to make top 16 placing a reality.
- Porto, Lille, Aston Villa, Real Betis, Lyon, Red Star, Bologna, Brann, Nice, Braga and Genk all must draw their respective fixtures.
And for Celtic to get the coveted seeded place, this is the tricky set of results that need to happen:
- Basel beat Viktoria Plzen by four clear goals
- FC Midtjylland beat GNK Dinamo by one goal
- Ferencvaros must win at Nottingham Forest by four goals
- FCSB must beat Fenerbahce at home by three goals
- Stuttgart need to win 1-0 or more at home to Young Boys
- Roma to win away at Panathinaikos by three or more goals
We didn’t say it was going to be easy, we only said it wasn’t impossible. It’s very unlikely to happen but, as ever in football, you just never know.
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