Celtic could be heading for Scandinavia in their first Champions League qualifying tie of next season.
While Scotland’s declining co-efficient means that the hoops face three qualifying ties to reach the group stage Neil Lennon’s side are insured to some extent by their own co-efficient which ensures that they are seeded in each round.
Unfortunately with the results of Swedish and Norwegian clubs plummeting Celtic could face Malmo or Stromgodset in mid-July.
This season Celtic were in the second qualifying round for the first time and were drawn against Cliftonville with the Northern Irish champions involved again in this season’s competition.
The second qualifying round is made on a regional basis and generally sees Scandinavian teams grouped alongside those from the British Isles and western Europe while southern and eastern European teams drawn are separately.
Going to Malmo or Stromgodest- who sold Stefan Johansen to Celtic in January- would be the worst possible draw for Lennon’s side as he attempts to steer Celtic into the group stages for the third season running.
Seven games into the new Norwegian season Stromgodset are two points behind leaders Molde, in Sweden Malmo are in top position after seven matches.
Celtic have beaten Swedish sides in each of the last two season’s to reach the group stages of the Champions League but in 2012 they beat Helsingborgs in the final qualifying tie and in 2013 it was in a third round qualifier against Elfsborg.
The draw for the first two qualify rounds will take place on June 23 with the second round qualifiers being played on July 15/16 and 22/23.
With Celtic Park out of bounds for the Commonwealth Games Celtic will play their first two qualifiers, assuming that they qualify, at Murrayfield.
As well as Stromgodset or Malmo Celtic’s likely second round opponents will come from Cliftonville, St Pat’s, All Saints (Wales), KR Reykjavic, HB Torshavn (Faroes).
