Celtic look like facing three one-off qualifying ties to reach the Play Off stage for the Champions League.
Over the last three seasons the qualifying process has involved four two-legged qualifiers stretching from the second week in July through to the end of August.
UEFA will meet on Wednesday and Thursday to hammer out a calendar for club and international football as they look to complete this seasons competition and kick off the 2020/21 season.
Getting an insight into the likely plans the Irish Independent reports:
Ireland’s Euro 2020 playoff with Slovakia is set to take place in the first week of October, while the League of Ireland’s four European contenders face one-off ties in mid-August in plans that are expected to be ratified by UEFA’s Executive Committee tomorrow.
European football’s most powerful committee will meet on Wednesday morning to discuss the club and international calendar for 2020 and their ruminations will be of particular interest on these shores.
Celtic will be seeded in each round but a one-off match presents fresh problems on the route to reaching the group stage which can be worth £40m.
In contrast to previous years Celtic had a better away record last season away from home than they did at Celtic Park.
Sarajevo, Nomme Kalju, AIK Solna and Lazio were defeated away from home alongside draws away to Cluj, Rennes and Copenhagen. The only defeat on the road was the dead rubber away to Cluj after winning the League Cup. In contrast Cluj and Copenhagen both won at Celtic Park.