Celtic can secure a third successive title by avoiding defeat against Kilmarnock this evening, which would open a route into the riches of the revamped Champions League. The pot breakdown and prize structure are clear enough to examine.
Assuming Celtic get over the line against Kilmarnock, they will be confirmed as Scottish champions and handed an automatic spot in the new 36-team league phase. According to the Scottish Sun, that means eight fixtures, with two opponents drawn from each of four seeding pots.
On the current coefficient standing, Celtic would land in Pot 4, though the pots have limited practical effect because every team will face two sides from each of the four pots. Rangers, by contrast, could find themselves seeded as high as Pot 2 if they qualify, but the format applies in the same way to both clubs.
Who Could Celtic Draw?
Pot 1 is the line-up expected of Europe’s leading clubs: Real Madrid, Man City, Bayern Munich, PSG, Liverpool, Inter, Dortmund, Leipzig and Barcelona. Pot 2 offers Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Atalanta, Benfica, Arsenal, Club Brugge, Rangers and Shakhtar, with several of those places still to be confirmed.
Pot 3 brings AC Milan, Feyenoord, Sporting Lisbon, PSV, Copenhagen, Dinamo Zagreb, Lille, Red Star Belgrade and Maccabi Tel Aviv into the mix, while Celtic’s Pot 4 companions include Ferencvaros, Monaco, Aston Villa, Bologna, Girona, Stuttgart, Sturm Graz and Anderlecht. Celtic and Rangers cannot meet in the league phase, with teams from the same country kept apart until the knockout play-off round except in very exceptional circumstances.
What’s the League Phase Format?
The top eight after the league phase go straight into the last 16. Teams finishing from ninth to 24th enter a knockout play-off round, with the winners joining them in the last 16. There is no drop into the Europa League after the league phase; teams outside the top 24 are eliminated from Europe.
What’s the Money on Offer?
Celtic would be guaranteed more than £16m before a ball is kicked, with each win worth £1.8m and each draw £600k. The new value pillar, a calculation that takes account of the ten-year coefficient and the domestic TV marketplace, could add further revenue. Given the size of the UK broadcast market, the best part of another £10m is not unrealistic.
Bonuses for reaching the knockout round could increase the total further, while gate receipts would provide another revenue stream. First things first, though: Kilmarnock away, with the title still to be sealed.
Mon The Hoops.
