Brendan Rodgers doesn’t need any extra pressure but next season’s European campaign is absolutely crucial to Celtic.
If they can reach the group stage and finish second or third it could set the club up for the next half a dozen years. If Celtic fail to reach the group phase of the Champions League they need to be looking to go into the last 16 of the Europa League to compensate.
Next season will be the last Champions League under the current format- there will be big changes in 2018/19 which makes a strong performance next season absolutely essential.
There are three main changes lined up for the 18/19 season which are:
a) Only four teams will reach the group stage rather than the current five
b) Celtic will be involved in four qualifying rounds rather than three
c) Champions from higher ranked countries such as Czech Republic and Switzerland will feature in the Champions route after being squeezed out of their automatic group place.
Making things trickier the season ahead is the last one in which the points gained from the 12/13 season when Celtic reached the last 16 of the Champions League will be counted. In basic terms Celtic need to reach the last 16 again to retain their current co-efficient.
From moravcik67 on KDS: https://t.co/02zafVOtj3
— Joe McHugh (@videocelts) May 14, 2017
There are many variants involved and no one has a real idea of which clubs are likely to be involved in the 2018/29 competition but if some familiar names are around things could get tricky.
If Celtic retain their current co-efficient they could find themselves behind teams from eight different countries including old foes such as Ajax and Basel through to Legia Warsaw and Red Bull Salzburg.
With four group places available the top four teams will be seeded which requires a lot of leapfrogging next term to avoid being unseeded in the 18/19 qualifiers.
Being unseeded would mean being drawn against Ajax, Basel, Olympiakos or RB Salzburg, being seeded would mean a ‘friendlier’ draw such as Sparta Prague, Ludogorets, FC Copenhagen or Legia Warsaw.
The importance of making good progress in the Champions League is obvious, every area of the club benefits. The stakes next season will be even higher, after Maribor and Malmo no one at Celtic needs reminded of the pitfalls ahead.
