£4m up for grabs for Celtic in qualifiers

Champions League qualifiers do not concern us directly this season, but their outcome will determine whether we ‘earn’ several million pounds.  Two potential qualifiers: Copenhagen and Dinamo Zagreb have higher 10-year coefficients than Celtic.  That metric rewards qualification on a sliding scale.  Celtic will earn an extra £2m if both fail to qualify, half of that if only one reaches the group stage.

Copenhagen were held to a 0-0 draw at home in the first leg against Sparta Prague last night.  Dinamo’s game at AEK Athens was postponed after a fatality, the tie will conclude on 19 August.  We can be moderately hopeful of collecting that £2m.

Scotland earns 10% of the UK TV pot, a rough approximation of our population split.  Newco will earn 40% of that 10% if they reach the group stage; if not, Celtic will retain all of it.  That’s slightly over £2m up for grabs, pushing the total in-play variable north of £4m.

Newco’s first challenge is to overcome Servette, who defended their way to a penalty kicks triumph against Genk in the last round.  They travel to Glasgow without a handful of injured and suspended players, and one who failed to get a visa from UK immigration authorities (Wimbledon is OK for Russians, football competitions don’t matter, even if you are a Cameroon-born, Cameroon international which Russian dual citizenship).

PSV Eindhoven are the likely opponents of whoever progresses to the play-off round, which brings an added €5m bonus for reaching that stage.  This is money Newco desperately need; expect full theatrics at Ibrox tonight.

While we can muse on the money, Brendan and the players will only have thoughts for Aberdeen on Sunday.  Automatic qualification is a huge bonus.