Celtic are ten points from being crowned 2022/23 Premiership champions, and ten points from qualifying for the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League.
Given that there was so much noise made about the Scottish league winners being granted a group stage place last season, it is perhaps a surprise that things have been a little quieter this campaign.
However, the situation is identical. With the Premiership trophy comes an invite to dine at the top table of European football.
Our weekend win over nearest challenges Rangers makes that an inevitability rather than a probability for this Celtic side.
If we pick up the ten (or even nine due to goal difference) points required then we will enter next season’s UEFA Champions League at the group stage, probably in pot four.
So far, no teams have assured their spot in the 32-team affair – the final version of the tournament before its format is altered.
But that is set to change in the coming weeks, as Europe’s top leagues draw to a close.
In England, title chasers Arsenal and Manchester City should qualify over the next few match days.
In Spain, Barcelona could do it this weekend, while Napoli are on the verge in Italy.
France and Germany may take a little longer to sort out, but elsewhere, the likes of Benfica, Feyenoord and Crvena Zvezda are also extremely likely to be there.
Some other interesting names currently in the qualifying spots are Newcastle United, Lens and Josip Juranovic’s Union Berlin. As a pot four team, we’d be unlikely to face any of them.
By the end of the season, 26 of the 32 group stage sides will be known, with the six others sorted through summer qualifying.
Of course, we could clinch our spot by the weekend after next. For that to happen we’d need to win our next two matches and see Rangers drop points in both.
It’s a matter of time anyway.
In other news, Rangers could be set for more difficulties in their pursuit of Celtic this summer
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