Speaking ahead of the match with Borussia Monchengladbach Brendan Rodgers discussed having plans in place to have ready made replacements lined up when offers come in for his top performers.
Achieving that situation was something that Neil Lennon struggled to achieve and possibly led to his decision to leave Celtic despite securing a third successive title.
During his four year stint as manager Lennon recruited and developed a number of players that were sold for big money to England, finding suitable replacements, especially for Gary Hooper, proved elusive.
In an ideal world Rodgers, and Lennon, would be able to retain their best players and bring in new recruits to add to the quality of the squad.
Since returning to the Champions League in 2012 a number of outstanding players have worn the hoops, in this article we look at a recent Celtic Champions League XI, do you think that they could reach the last eight or go even further?
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FRASER FORSTER
The 2012/13 Champions League campaign was the making of the former Newcastle keeper. His display in the Nou Camp put him on centre stage with the follow up at Celtic Park launching him into the England international side.
When Celtic played Juventus, Gigi Buffon highlighted Forster as one of the top emerging goalkeepers in the game. A move to Southampton followed in 2014 where he has established himself as a leading Premier League keeper but has still to dislodge Joe Hart as England’s first choice.
MIKAEL LUSTIG
Is now in his third Champions League term, strangely the second campaign in 2013/14 was probably his most impressive.
Despite Celtic struggling badly against AC Milan, Barcelona and Ajax, Lustig impressed with his defending and willingness to get forward at every opportunity.
His performances were even more impressive when it was revealed that he required hip surgery which was postponed until Celtic’s European involvement was ended.
This season he has been used in a much more defensive role and also at centre-half when short on numbers.
VIRGIL VAN DIJK
The Dutch defender wasn’t at his best as Celtic leaked goals in his only Champions League campaign but there was always a certain quality about his game.
Alongside other solid defenders under a manager like Rodgers van Dijk would be an awesome prospect.
Despite signing a new deal within a year of joining Southampton he is likely to be on the move again with only a Champions League club likely to appeal, there’s unlikely to be a shortage of offers
KELVIN WILSON
A very short and strange Celtic career but he managed something that few defenders have achieved since- form a stable partnership with Efe Ambrose.
Neil Lennon didn’t hesitate to bring his former Nottingham Forest team-mate to Glasgow, after Billy Davies blocked a transfer in January 2011 Wilson arrived on a Bosman six months later.
He played in all six group matches as Celtic finished in front of Benfica and both games against Juventus, for personal reasons he returned to Nottingham Forest after helping Celtic past Elfsborg in the 2013/14 qualifier.
KIERAN TIERNEY
He has only played in three Champions League matches but it seems inevitable that KT will be listed in great Celtic XI’s for years to come.
His tussle with Raheem Sterling was a key feature of the 3-3 draw with Manchester City, being generous to the England winger I’ll also mark that contest down as a scoredraw.
KT came into the side just over a year ago and has taken every challenge in his stride, with the confidence of knowing that he can mix it in the Champions League there are no limits to his future career.
SCOTT BROWN
The daddy of the side and proving recently that age is an asset with some incredible Champions League stats.
Brown is now starring in his third Champions League side having helped Gordon Strachan and Neil Lennon into the knock out stage.
A repeat this season looks unlikely but it won’t be through lack of effort or ability from the Celtic skipper. His goal in the qualifier against Hapoel Beer Sheva was absolutely priceless.
VICTOR WANYAMA
Not many Celtic fans were surprised by the huge impact that the African made in the Champions League.
With a strength and maturity that went way beyond his years he showed in back-to-back matches with Barcelona that he could also play against the best names in the game.
In a different era Celtic would have built a side around Wanyama, in the current climate they made a £10m profit on the midfielder and showcased what can be achieved under the lights of Celtic Park.
KRIS COMMONS
Had a storming campaign in 2012/13 including striking the penalty against Spartak Moscow that took the club into the last 16 with a record points tally of 10.
He also got the scoring underway with a second minute strike in the qualifier away to Helsingborg and featured in every match during that campaign.
Unsurprisingly he was unable to fully replicate his domestic scoring achievements but he fitted perfectly into Lennon’s side and was capable of that something special as well.
SCOTT SINCLAIR
Without scoring, yet, he has made a great contribution to this season’s effort, looking perfectly at home in the highest level of the game.
The touch and delivery for the shot that struck the woodwork against Monchengladbach was the hallmark of a player enjoying life and confident in his own ability.
His combination of speed, trickery and eye for goal makes his a threat at any level with more still to come from the former Aston Villa man.
GARY HOOPER
His pedigree of doing the rounds in the lower reaches of English football made it inevitable that the question ‘Can he do it in Europe’ was posed.
He did, and did it with style. The opening goal away to Spartak Moscow was a classic, in the home tie he surprised himself with a rare strike from outside the box which had the same outcome- the ball resting in the back of the net.
Sadly that was basically it for Hoops 88, a move to Norwich was confirmation that European nights were in the past but when called on he certainly delivered.
MOUSSA DEMBELE
What more needs to be said? Take a re-run of his second goal against Manchester City or his powerful selfless shift in Monchengladbach topped off by the composure to bury a crucial penalty.
There really are no limits to what the 20-year-old French kid can achieve. He joined Celtic to test himself in the Champions League and has found it to his liking.
Impressing as a striker at this level is incredibly tough, Dembele has passed every test with ease and is only going to get better and better at this level- hopefully wearing a Celtic shirt.