Champions League qualifiers are a fairly new phenomenon much like the tournament itself.
With success in the main event becoming less and less likely reaching the group stage proper has become the gauge of success for Celtic managers.
Martin O’Neill, Gordon Strachan and Neil Lennon have all enjoyed success in the early season nerve jangler with Brendan Rodgers looking to continue that trend this season.
Losing 1-0 to Lincoln Red Imps has thrown a spanner into the close season euphoria but if Rodgers leads Celtic into the draw for the group stage of the Champions League an off night in Gibraltar will largely be forgotten.
As far as Champions League qualifiers are concerned Celtic Park has staged two high tension matches- against Spartak Moscow and Shakhtar Karagandy.
However the first time is hard to beat with Celtic’s 1-0 defeat from Ajax in August 2001 sparking great celebrations and a massive signal of how the club had been transformed.
With all three domestic trophies sporting green and white ribbons Martin O’Neill’s side handed Ajax a lesson with a 3-1 win in the Amsterdam ArenA on a never to be forgotten evening.
After 20 years of neglect in Europe O’Neill’s side made a statement of intent and ushered in a new era in which the new look Celtic Park became a cathedral of the European game.
Juventus, AC Milan, Barcelona, Manchester United and others were soon to discover what European passion was all about- as they left Glasgow defeated but with memories to outstrip anything else faced in their careers.
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