Celtic are one of the biggest clubs in Europe with a proud and rich history playing on the continent. The Bhoys have enjoyed massive success over the decades and famously lifted the European Cup in 1967. This season, Celtic will navigate a new look Champions League format as they bid for glory.
The Scottish title winners will be aiming for the knockout stages of the tournament having kicked off the tournament in style. This article will tell you everything you need to know about Celtic in the Champions League this season.
Exploring the New Format
The Champions League is set to be an intriguing competition throughout the 2024/25 campaign after UEFA elected to switch up the format during the early stages. Whereas Celtic would ordinarily be one of 32 teams drawn into eight groups four and be required to play three teams twice, once at home and once away, with the top two progressing, this has all changed. Now, 36 clubs will compete in a league system which will see sides play a total of eight games against eight different teams. Celtic and the other participants will each host four of these games while the other four matches will be on the road.
If you are thinking of backing the Bhoys to reach the knockout stages via this new route, you can compare and assess a range of sports betting sites in Ireland via Irishluck to find the platform which best suits your wagering needs and preferences. Celtic are often underdogs during the latter rounds of the Champions League but are certainly fancied to win games in the league phase. Be sure to track team news and follow the form guide before making your picks.
When it comes to advancing in this season’s competition, the teams who finish in first to eighth place will instantly qualify for the Last 16. Those clubs who are in ninth to 24th will be drawn against each other in a two-legged play-off to determine who joins the top eight. Sides who finish 25th or lower will be automatically eliminated from Europe and not drop into the Europa League like previous season. With that in mind, Celtic will be aiming to finish in the first 24 sides which could represent a successful campaign.
Who Will Celtic Face in the League Phase?
The Scottish giants enjoyed an emphatic start to this season’s Champions League, hammering Slovan Bratislava 5-1 at Celtic Park which put the team second in the table only behind Bayern Munich who earned a thrilling 9-2 victory in their opening fixture.
The Bhoys will also welcome RB Leipzig, Club Brugge and BSC Young Boys to Glasgow and will be confident with the passionate and loyal fanbase roaring them on under the lights. When it comes to playing away, Celtic have some tough challenges ahead with trips to German giants Borussia Dortmund, Italian Europa League winners Atalanta, Croatian outfit Dinamo Zagreb and Premier League Aston Villa in a Battle of Britain clash.
Some pundits believe teams will be required to roughly earn eight points to ensure progression and so the Bhoys will be eyeing their home fixtures to collect the victories needed. The atmosphere generated for a night game at Celtic Park, which boasts a capacity of more than 60,000, is unrivalled and if the home side strike first, the cacophony of noise created is enough to negatively affect the opposition before the game has even restarted.
The trip to Zagreb represents the team’s best chance of three points away while earning a positive result at Villa, Dortmund or Atalanta would be a massive boost.
Key Players
Celtic boast a number of talented stars who will be integral to any success the team enjoys in this season’s Champions League. Japan international Kyogo Furuhashi is always among the goals while compatriot Daizen Maeda is another important frontman in this side. Adam Idah was another smart striker signing from Norwich and the Republic of Ireland striker leads the line with the number nine shirt.
In goal, Premier League winner Kasper Schmeichel, who played under manager Brendan Rodgers at Leicester, is a supreme and safe pair of hands and was brought in to replace former England international Joe Hart. Liam Scales and Cameron Carter-Vickers have forged a dependable and solid centre-back partnership which continues to thrive while Alistair Johnson and Greg Taylor are industrious at full-back. Captain Callum McGregor, meanwhile, pulls the strings in midfield and is likely to surpass 500 appearances for Celtic in 2025.
Under the guidance of Rodgers, who has plenty of European experience having managed Celtic, Leicester and Liverpool in all three of the continent’s competitions, the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, Celtic will be hopeful of springing a few surprises and reaching the knockout stages of the tournament.
Summing Up
Celtic are in the title race at home on an annual basis and this particular side will be striving for success in Europe to take the next step. The newly formatted Champions League gives the Bhoys an opportunity to pit themselves against an even greater number of clubs across the continent and the experience for players and fans alike will aid the journey they are on together. By challenging in Europe’s premier competition, Celtic will hope to attract more top players from all over the world to ensure they qualify for these tournaments consistently.
