Celtic, as Scottish Premiership league leaders and likely winners, should be keeping a close eye on the results of the Champions League this term with a view to determining what it means for next season.
Whoever wins the Scottish league title this term will go straight into the group stages of the Champions League in 2022/23 IF this year’s European tournament winners also qualify through their domestic league position.
A few teams are left in the competition who are unlikely to finish in a domestic qualifying position including Benfica and Villarreal, while Atletico Madrid can also still finish outside of the Spanish top four.
Thankfully, Benfica now look like going out of the competition after a 3-1 home defeat to Liverpool, while Atletico Madrid also face a second leg deficit after a 1-0 loss at Manchester City.
Villarreal play Bayern Munich tonight, with the Germans expected to progress over two legs. Chelsea, who complete the quarter-final line-up against Real Madrid, can also still finish outside of the English top four but currently sit in third.
Last night’s results mean the Premiership winners edge a little closer to group stage delight next term, regardless of what UEFA decides to do with the uncertain Russian situation and all of that separate business.
Remarkably it’d be the first time Celtic entered directly into the group stages of the competition since way back in 2008/09 when Gordon Strachan’s side went up against Manchester United, Villarreal and Aalborg.
That would free Postecoglou’s team up from a summer gauntlet of qualifiers and allow us to prepare for a massive season.
Still, there’s hard work to do in the Premiership for the Bhoys. St Johnstone await this weekend and victory against the Perth side pushes us a step closer to all these extra benefits of lifting the league title, which is a fine prize itself.
Bring it on!
In other news, South African youth football project announces link up with Celtic.
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