Celtic will find out their three UEFA Champions League group stage opponents later this week.
The Hoops booked their spot at European football’s top table all the way back on May 7. We won the league at Tynecastle that day and everything seemed right in the world.
16 weeks down the line and there’s a whole different feeling at Celtic Park. It’s fair to say that the summer window has been a disappointing one so far, and recent results have added to the feeling that all is not well at the club.
Being part of the Champions League group stage is obviously a great thing for everyone concerned. However, it does seem like the excitement has faded a way a little and been replaced by a fair bit of anxiety.
Just how will this current team, lacking in several areas and with multiple injuries, cope at the toughest level European football has to offer.
Last year we went in to our group stage campaign genuinely feeling like Real Madrid could be toppled in Glasgow. At the moment you’d struggle to find too many Celtic fans feeling confident of beating any top-tier European side.
That may change this week. The footballing world moves quickly. Several key signings and a positive result at Ibrox would be likely to have everyone reevaluating things in a more positive sense.
The big Champions League draw will arrive on Thursday, before those two other events conclude.
Once again, we will have our teams we want to avoid — namely Manchester City, Arsenal and Real Madrid. Elsewhere, sides like Feyenoord and Red Star Belgrade could offer us a better opportunity of points.
Whatever happens with the draw, Celtic need to be much better prepared for life in the Champions League. Progress in Europe was a key theme of Brendan Rodgers’ first press conference back in the Hoops hotseat.
It’s time to find out if we can put our money where our mouth is.
In other news, Luis Palma has flown to Scotland to sign for Celtic this week
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