UEFA are considering an option that could see Celtic just one match away from playing in the group phase of the Champions League.
The present set up involves four rounds of qualifying for the Scottish champions resulting in eight successive midweek ties to reach the last 32.
Over the last two seasons Celtic have fallen at the third qualifying round, dropping into a Play Off tie to reach the group stage of the Europa League.
With travel restrictions and different quarantine rules in place from country to country across Europe UEFA have a mammoth task to complete this seasons competitions with the 2020/21 qualification likely to be unrecognisable from this term.
The Sun reports:
Only six of the 32 places in the Champions League group stage are secured through qualification rounds — the other 24 clubs qualify automatically through their domestic leagues, plus the winners of the Champions League and Europa League.
Another proposal is to have just one play-off round for the Champions League involving the national champions of the twelve highest-ranked countries who do not have a club already in the group stage. That scenario would almost certainly see Celtic as one of the twelve competing for one of the six slots.
At present, clubs from the top ten-rated countries in UEFAs rankings go directly into the Champions League group stages. Scotland are presently 20th so would be part of any play-off round. Other clubs who miss out on their chance of competing for a group stage position would be compensated financially.
UEFA has set a deadline of May 25 for the nomination of clubs for next season’s competitions with national associations able to plead for special cases where they are unable to compete their fixtures.
Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers have already been crowned as champions of their division with the same formula set to declare Celtic as Premiership champions with Hearts relegated.
