The next time we head to Celtic Park will be a very special time- the return of the Champions League. Four years of frustration, four qualifiers overcome and we’re there- back on centre-stage.
Some fans may even be at a stage where they are about to experience the Champions league proper for the first time. Well, when I keep referring to the name of this competition, I am technically not correct as there are a lot of teams competing who are not champions of their respective countries.
Does that de-value the competition in any way or is still the best competition out there? One question I asked recently, and never found an answer on was when was the last time the Champions League winners were winners of their previous years domestic league? If you happen to know, feel free to let me know on Twitter or on the comments box.
First up, I have to say well done to Celtic with the ticket prices for the group stages, I was surprised to pay less for this years three Champions league games than I did for last years Europa league games. I’m quick to criticise the board when I am unhappy about certain aspects of how the club is run so well done to them on the three match package.
So what’s the best that we can expect to get from the group which features Barcelona, Benfica and Spartak Moscow. Of the four teams, I doubt many will disagree that Barcelona are the favourites to top the group. After that though I think any of the other clubs could join them in the last 16.,
Barcelona are one of the very few teams who have taken points off of us at home in the Champions League and some of their players, Valdes, Puyol, Messi to name a few will know what it is like to play at Celtic Park and will no doubt be looking forward to playing again in such an atmosphere. I also hope that some of the Barcelona players who haven’t yet played at Parkhead don’t perform to the top of their game. If not, then who’s to say we can’t take the points from them?
Of the other two, I don’t know a great deal about them but both teams, in this competition, have come to Parkhead and left defeated so if nothing else, they wont be looking forward to coming back.
Regardless of how we do in this competition, of course I hope not, but we could well crash and burn and lose all of our matches. In that worst case and hopefully, unlikely, scenario, we still make a healthy amount of cash from being involved. If we can make enough cash this year, we may well be able to become a regular and better competitor in the Champions League.
Of course, I couldn’t not mention the Sevco comedy show either. I read, not long ago, a blog stating that titles cannot be stripped from Rangers in 2005 because Juninho had an EBT. I think the big difference is that this was declared to the relevant authorities and cancelled in due course.
I do believe that titles should be stripped if they have been illegally registering players but I don’t necessarily think that they should, automatically, go to us. If they are just wiped from the record books that will be ok too.
If titles were to be stripped, would you want them re-allocated to another team? How would you decide who they are awarded to?
Logically, whoever finished in second place should be awarded any title but I don’t like the thought of this dead club still taking the credit for something that they won while competing under different circumstances to that of the rest of the teams in the league.
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Awarding titles to celtic doesn’t bother me at the end of the day we can’t have a title party or enjoy the pleasure of winning them but I sure want them ripped off the shame.
If titles aren’t striped from Sevco nothing’s surer they’ll cheat again.
Jabba he thinks forget EBTs let’s move on wonder who he supports.
Bring on Champions League we’re there because we’re CHAMPIONS.
I totally agree about the titles. The main thing for me is that we get official recognition that they cheated- which, of course, means stripping the tainted titles and changing the record books.
And roll on the CL. Whatever happens, one things for sure, we’ll be playing the best teams in Europe, and Parkhead will be packed to the rafters, bouncing, at least three times.
Hail Hail to that.
Barcelona La liga champs o9/10, UCL champs 10/11 & La liga champs 10/11
As champions of Spain in 09/10 season they went on to win the UCL in the 10/11 season.
Hoepfully it will be the hoops this time around 😉 HH 1NL
Living in Russia, working with football here and watching Spartak Moscow on a regular basis, we are up against a completely different side to the one we beat in the qualifiers.
They have pace, skill, power and finally a stability under former Valencia boss Emery that they never had before. I really hope we can grab a couple of victories at home but fear that the three sides we have been drawn against are technically far superior than us.
Fingers crossed! Thank god we won’t have to face Witsel opening game! Mon the Hoops!… Barcelona were Champions?
I can’t wait for next week when that music is blaring out the whole world will know glasgow celtic are scotlands true champions and i know it will rip the heart out of every hun watching knowing we are the only team that matters. They should have the titles removed if proven they cheated but i don’t want them they mean nothing just remove them from history and when people sk who won the league in year ? we can let them know the huns were cheats and got caught or just tell them celtic winning the european cup made us-trying to win the european cup broke them. hail hail
Personally I would not want the titles awarded to us as this will give the buggers ammo to fire at us i.e. “youz only won em cuz they wuz taken frum uz!!” Instead I think they should just strike through the name on the trophy with a big line so all future teams can see they cheated. And do the same with the history books to.
I agree 100% Jim. Nothing will ever take away the pain of 2005 and 2003. Just strike them off the trophies and the record books.
The blank spaces will be a constant reminder of the cheating every club in Scotland had to face for over a decade.
The titles we did win will shine even brighter.
I disagree. Yes the titles should be stripped from dead rangers but they should go to the next team from whom they cheated; if that means Celtic then so be it.
Does that mean I want them? No! But that’s not the issue. The issue is one of an objective impartiality ruling by the authorities. It happens in every other sport so the same should and prbably will happen here. I do think Celtic should claim financial compensation from SFA for all the money that was deprived from them also.
Perhaps UEFA / FIFA could help to meet the costs of such compensation after all Celtic supporters paid vast amounts of honest money to compete honestly and were deprived of it by cheating and corruption. This must not be allowed to be dismissed by just a line through a record book.
More must be done and be seen to be done in the name of football credibility and sporting integrity.