Why Chris Sutton feels Celtic’s USA success must be replicated in Portugal and Italy this summer

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Celtic will be jetting off to Portugal and Italy for some high quality friendly clashes next month.

The Hoops first-team squad returned to pre-season training at Lennoxtown on Friday and will play Queen’s Park next week.

Then it’s Cork City in the Republic of Ireland before games in Portugal and Italy, with the Newcastle United match at Celtic Park sandwiched in between.

Celtic will play the likes of Sporting Lisbon and Ajax this summer, as well as the Magpies who have qualified for the Champions League.

And Chris Sutton thinks playing against this calibre of opposition is key going into the Champions League play-off in August.

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Sutton on the importance of pre-season for Champions League

Brendan Rodgers hailed last summer’s USA tour in which Celtic played the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, and performing extremely well.

Sutton thinks that was vital for Celtic having a tremendous start to last season, even if most of their new signings had not arrived yet.

And the Daily Record columnist has suggested a similar pattern to pre-season going into the crucial play-off round is key for the Hoops.

He wrote: “Celtic didn’t just hit the ground running last season. They absolutely sprinted into top gear from the first whistle.

“Granted, the signings weren’t all in place by that time either with the likes of Adam Idah and Arne Engels arriving after the campaign was underway, but the work done in the build-up weeks was absolutely vital.

“That’s not just me saying that, that’s coming from the manager himself. Rodgers told us in no uncertain terms that the patterns of play used in the United States in games against the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City were priceless when it came to going into the league phase of the Champions League.

“The way Nicolas Kuhn’s role was defined and perfected to ensure he began the season like an express train and barely stopped until running out of gas a bit near the end.

“Celtic won 16 of their first 18 Premiership matches and put the title to bed during that run, It was job done and Rodgers is going to want the same again.

“For that to happen in the way he plans, I’d be sure he wants many of the men he is going to be relying upon to be in the camp when they make their trips to Portugal and Italy.”

Celtic’s full pre-season 2025 schedule

The pre-season friendlies ahead may not be as glamorous as last season’s USA tour, but it should provide ample preparation.

Newcastle, Sporting CP and Ajax will prove to be difficult challenges and Rodgers will be pleased that type of opposition has been secured.

The Champions League play-off is vital for the Hoops, certainly from a financial perspective, but perhaps for the future of Rodgers as manager too.