A points was far from a disaster for Celtic against Club Brugge.
It keeps the Hoops on course for the playoff round of the Champions League at least, even if it was a relative anticlimax compared to last time out against RB Leipzig. The home clash with the Belgians would have been marked as winnable when the draw was made and while Peter Schmeichel’s assessment of it being two points dropped is harsh, a win would have Brendan Rodgers‘ side just about home and hosed.
Ten points is the magic number according to the stat analysts and Celtic have three games to get the two points that would almost guarantee their progress. Put it this way; there are some much bigger names in a worse position. Bona fide Champions League royalty are facing the prospect of going out altogether, never mind being unseeded for the playoff round if they only manage to squeeze into the top 24.
Celtic may have gained a point last night, but they lost a couple of positions in the table. It remains very much in their own hands, but the points still actually need to be won and there will be a big push from those currently behind them to contend with.
It probably wasn’t what UEFA had planned on when revamping the format of their flagship competition, but Record Sport examines the big guns currently fighting for their Champions League survival and who represents the biggest threat to the Scottish champions.
Real Madrid
The 15 time winners are on the cusp right now. After Wednesday night’s 2-0 defeat to leaders and new bookies’ favourites Liverpool. Carlo Ancelotti’s men occupy the the final qualifying spot in 24th two points behind Celtic with the same goal difference of zero.
Defeats to Milan and Lille ahead of their humbling on Merseyside have left with with work to do after five games. Celtic know their next opponents Atalanta well enough, while Real edged them out in the European Super Cup Final back in August. A trip to Bergamo will be no walk in the park for the Spanish champions.
However, they should have more than enough to get the job done in their final two fixtures. RB Salzburg at home and away to Brest represent their easiest fixtures – on paper – of the draw and it’s a fair assumption that they will take at least six points from their next three games and surge up the table.
Remaining fixtures
Atalanta (A)
RB Salzburg (H)
Brest (A)
Paris Saint-Germain
The French big guns are one place below Madrid, outside the qualifying spots and two points worse off. They also fave RB Salzburg but then Manchester City visit the French capital before a trip to Stuttgart.
They’ve made hard work of the Champions League so far, kicking off with a draw against RB Leipzig before defeats to Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich in what was a particularly tough run of fixtures. They are better equipped than most to deal with such runs of big games and have certainly underperformed.
Three points against Salzburg is a must, and they may need to take something against Man City. If they don’t then it could come down to that game in Stuttgart and how those above them in the table get on.
Remaining fixtures
RB Salzburg (A)
Man City (H)
Stuttgart (A)
Feyenoord
A stunning comeback against Man City in midweek will flood the Dutch with belief that they can make the next stage. They sit just one place and one point behind Celtic, albeit with a poorer goal difference.
Sparta Prague at home are up next, although it”s their next two fixtures after that which should give Celtic some hope. Bayern Munich at home and Lille away aren’t the games you’d pick to finish your campaign if you need to take something, and you’d think Celtic can do enough to at least stay ahead of them given their respective opponents.
Remaining fixtures
Sparta Prague (H)
Bayern Munich (H)
Lille (A)
Dinamo Zagreb
Okay, so not traditionally one of the big guns, but given they are one of Celtic’s direct opponent and sit just a point behind them in 23rd, they represent a threat and can leapfrog the Hoops if they come out on top in the head-to-head between the two on match day six.
However, they have a tough finish. Away to Arsenal and at home to Milan in January is about as difficult as it gets. With Celtic at home to Young Boys, a win over the Swiss should be enough to keep them ahead of the Croats in the standings, meaning thats one less they have to worry about overtaking them.
Remaining fixtures
Celtic (H)
Arsenal (A)
Milan (H)