The eight games Celtic play straight after each Champions League league phase clash

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Celtic are just one day away from kicking off their Champions League league phase campaign under the lights at Celtic Park.

These special nights are back in the calendar and Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava will serve as the first test for Brendan Rodgers and his team on Wednesday.

The draw for the new Champions League format was conducted in August and saw the Hoops drawn against eight different sides for the league phase.

There’s one or two difficult ties to navigate but Celtic fans will be optimistic their team can reach at least the knockout play-off round with the hand they’ve been dealt from September until January.

• READ MORE: Celtic’s Full Champions League Record Since 2001

Celtic’s Champions League fixtures

Here’s who Celtic face in the Champions League league phase across the next four months after UEFA confirmed the schedule a few days after the draw:

• Celtic vs Slovan Bratislava – September 19
• Borussia Dortmund vs Celtic – October 1
• Atalanta vs Celtic – October 23
• Celtic vs RB Leipzig – November 5
• Celtic vs Club Brugge – November 27
• Dinamo Zagreb vs Celtic – December 10
• Celtic vs Young Boys – January 22
• Aston Villa vs Celtic – January 29

Celtic fixtures after Champions League games

So bearing in mind the schedule above, 67 Hail Hail looked at who the Bhoys will play domestically after each exertion in Europe until after Christmas.

All games are in the Scottish Premiership except stated otherwise:

• Weekend after Slovan Bratislava (H) – Celtic vs Falkirk (Premier Sports Cup)
• Weekend after Borussia Dortmund (A) – Ross County vs Celtic
• Weekend after Atalanta (A) – Motherwell vs Celtic
• Weekend after RB Leipzig (H) – Kilmarnock vs Celtic
• Weekend after Club Brugge (H) – Celtic vs Ross County
• Weekend after Dinamo Zagreb (A) – Dundee vs Celtic
• Weekend after Young Boys (H) – Celtic vs Dundee
• Weekend after Aston Villa (A) – Motherwell vs Celtic

Thankfully, it’s clear to see that Celtic don’t have too much travelling to do between Champions League and domestic games.

The only slight inconvenience is heading to Dingwall to face Ross County after a challenging away fixture against Borussia Dortmund, arguably the hardest fixture of the league phase campaign.

The Hoops also face a trip to Dundee after flying back from Croatia in December but bar that, it’s relatively plain-sailing.

That’s easier said than done, however. Motherwell at Fir Park is never an easy contest, the same going for Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on the plastic surface.