Celtic will reach the knockouts of the Champions League for the first time in 13 years on Wednesday night if results elsewhere go their way.
The Premiership champions have adapted admirably to the new-look league format of the world’s richest club tournament and can now punch their ticket into the next round with a game to spare. If Celtic beat Young Boys in front of 60,000 raucous supporters and Arsenal defeat Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates then it will be party time at Parkhead.
Simply, Celtic currently sit in 23rd place and a victory will leave those below with too much to do. Manchester City, occupying 24th spot with eight points, face PSG, 25th with seven points and points will be dropped one way or the other. Luis Enrique’s side then face off against Stuttgart, 21st place with 10 points but who have played seven games, if their final match., A PSG win would remove any hope of Man City overtaking Celtic (if Young Boys are defeated) while a draw would stop the free-spending Ligue 1 giants from doing the same to the Scottish champions.
Almost every scenario will see Celtic through on 12 points, however, it won’t be officially confirmed on Wednesday if Zagreb win in North London and City defeat PSG.
Brendan Rodgers’ side are aided by near rivals locking horns, however, a draw or worse against Young Boys opens up a whole host of scenarios where they are forced into winning away to Aston Villa, or being left facing the ultimate sweat of a lifetime keeping track of other scores when all 18 games kick off simultaneously on Wednesday, January 29.
The task is simple, a win tonight all-but guarantees safe passage to the playoff round and if Arsenal prove too much for Zagreb or PSG coming alive then it is rubber stamped. And if the Gunners are well ahead it could allow Celtic Park to get the anthem ready for full time to tee up a party for the ages after the final whistle. Kieran Tierney might be partying for two.
Celtic haven’t reached the knockouts of this revered competition since the 2012/13 season when Neil Lennon masterminded a win over Barcelona and earned 10 points – a club record in the old six-game group stage format. A win against Young Boys wouldn’t mean it’s time to put the feet up, of course, as Rodgers’ side know a result in Birmingham next week would shoot them further up the table which brings added prize money.