THE CELTIC players, or at least the ones not going to the World Cup, will be back at Lennoxtown soon and Brendan Rodgers will be getting them ready for the most important two months of our season.
Celtic will face this huge challenge – which could be worth up to £50Million – without three regular first team starters – Boyata, Lustig and Rogic are all on World Cup duties.
It actually isn’t worth thinking about the situation Celtic would have been in had Scotland qualified for the World Cup this summer. How would we have managed to get a team out to play in up to 8 Champions Qualifiers without the three mentioned above plus Gordon, Tierney, Hendry, McGregor, Forrest, Armstrong and Griffiths?
Anyway we don’t have to worry about that happening – until the next World Cup at least – but with Alex McLeish as manager, well, let’s park it!
Here’s our route to the Champions League riches…it’s going to be a long, stressful summer! Strap yourselves in…
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW – The draw for the first two rounds of the Champions League Qualifiers will take place on 19 June.
AUSTRIA TRAINING CAMP – Celtic will begin their pre-season programme with an eight-day training camp in Austria which will include a game against SK Vorwarts Steyr on Wednesday 27 June.
SHAMROCK ROVERS – Celtic will play Shamrock Rovers at the Tallaght Stadium on Saturday 7 July. The friendly match will kick off at 3pm and will feature the Celtic first team squad as Celtic continue their preparation for their Champions League qualifying campaign.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER – The first round, first leg will take place on 11/12 July with the return match a week later on 18/19 July.
STANDARD LIEGE – Celtic will play Standard Liege in a pre-season friendly at Celtic Park on Saturday 14 July. The visitors just missed out on the winning the Belgian league last season, narrowing losing the title race to Club Brugge. This game is included on your season ticket. Standard Liege enter the Champions League this season at the third qualifying round so this will be a good test for the Bhoys.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW – The draw for the third round takes place on 23 July, even before the second round games are played on 24/25 July and 31 July/1 August.
PLAY OFF ROUND DRAW – This takes place on 6 August and by this time the competition is really hotting up. Meanwhile the Third qualifying round matches take place on 7/8 August and 14 August.
PLAY OFF ROUND – This will be huge for the clubs involved. Financially it’s huge – think of that English Championship play-off game and the money involved for the club that reaches the Premier League. This is a similar situation for the clubs in this Champions League Play-off. These matches take place on 21/22 August with the second leg on 28/29 August.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW – Assuming we’ve negotiated our way through all of the above, then Celtic will be included as a pot 4 side in the draw for the Champions League Group Stages on 30 August.
