Celtic’s ominous Champions League Fixture List
Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 Second Leg - Bayern Munich v Chelsea - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - August 8, 2020 General view of a matchball, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS/Michael Dalder
As Celtic enjoy their last free midweek Ange Postecoglou will be well aware of what is coming round the corner with the October fixture list especially daunting.
This season, with a November/December World Cup is one like no other with four Champions League fixtures played over five midweeks between October 4/5 and November 1/2.
By the time Josip Juranovic, Cameron Carter-Vickers and the Japanese players head to Qatar Postecoglou is certain to have dug deep into his squad. Following the World Cup Finals things don’t get much easier with a constant run of fixtures with no January break to mark the halfway point in the season.
After Matchday 1 on September 6/7 Celtic are at home to Livingston, followed in midweek by Matchday 2 and an away match at St Mirren. That completes the September Champions League fixtures.
October will be vital on both fronts with the following schedule:
1 Motherwell Home
4/5 CL Matchday 3
8 St Johnstone Away
11/12 CL Matchday 4
15 Hibs Home
18/19/20 Possible League Cup quarter-final
22 Hearts Away
25/26 CL Matchday 5
29 Livingston Away
November 1/2 CL Matchday 6
5 Dundee United Home
9 Motherwell Away
12 Ross County Home
And then it is off to the Sydney Super Cup with the next competitive match on December 17 at Aberdeen.
As the balls are drawn in Istanbul today fans will start drawing up travel plans but the fixture list, especially through October will be in Postecoglou’s mind with a week left in the summer transfer window.