Celtic have one foot in the Europa League group stages following last week’s sublime 2-0 win over AZ Alkmaar at Celtic Park – so we hope – but it remains to be seen just yet who Ange Postecoglou and his men could face in the group stages should they progress.
The win over the Dutch outfit has instilled belief into fans, who for the best part of a dark and dismal 18 months of being locked down inside their own homes, had to watch a Neil Lennon side throw away 10IAR on top of that.
It represents a good challenge for Celtic, especially after the disappointing loss against Midtjylland – one which supporters across the fanbase would be forgiven for thinking Ange was to continue Lennon’s form.
And with fans in the grounds, Celtic Park will be one of the largest venues in the competition; giving it the venom, fear and exhilration that we are all so used to.
In pot one, there are some European giants; Lyon, Napoli, Leverkusen, Monaco and Lazio – who Celtic famously did the double over in 2019/20 – are some of the potential opponents the Bhoys’ could face, with most of these teams likely to finish top of the group.
Celtic go into pot two should they progress past AZ, meaning they wouldn’t face Braga, Frankfurt, Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester, and theRangers.
Even pot three has some extremely tough opponents. PSV – who thrashed Celtic’s old enemy Mitdjylland 4-0 on aggregate in the round after Ange’s men crashed out – lead the pack, alongside Marseille, Real Sociedad, Real Betis, Fenerbache and Jordan Larsson’s Spartak Moscow.
Although pot four could be easier – despite Sparta Prague, Galatasaray and those men again Midtjylland being part of the group – as minnows Ferencvaros (remember them?), Antwerp and Sturm Graz make up the rest of the pack.
This draws me to the conclusion that , although the draw isn’t done yet, this would be the easiest group: Slavia Prague, Celtic, Ludogorets, Sturm Graz
However, the luck of the Celts could fall badly upon Ange’s men given that proceedings have gone swimmingly so far – with Napoli, Celtic, PSV and Galatasaray being the hardest possible draw.
It is all much of a muchness; but if Celtic were to get through, we need to be hoping for a draw to Eastern Europe…otherwise, Ange’s European adventure could be over before it has even started.
We always get a team with some kind of link/connection to our past, so I’m betting we’ll somehow end up facing Spartak Moscow (because Larsson), Lazio (because they’ll want revenge), and Galatasaray (because that gobsh*te Sacha Boey thinks he’s joined a bigger club than Celtic and needs some reality slapped into him).
Assuming we get past AZ – in Ange we trust!