CELTIC is the biggest club in Scotland. The numbers don’t lie. One could argue that they’re one of the biggest in Great Britain, and they wouldn’t be far off. But Celtic’s golden age, when they were a force to reckon with in Europe, is far gone. The first – and last – European trophy came back in 1967 when the famed Lisbon Lions won the Champions League in the format that was played then.
Their latest big result in European competitions came in 2003 when they reached the final of the 2003 UEFA Cup, where they lost to Porto. It was the last big European side that Celtic produced, and that day ended an era of European aspirations for the Scottish side. At the same time, it gave a massive push to one of the greatest tactical minds in history, Jose Mourinho.
Celtic is always looking to return to relevance in European competitions, and they are often drawn into the Champions League group stage. Once there, they’re eaten by the bigger fish from all over the continent. Many local fans would give their souls to have the Celtics be the powerhouse in Europe that they are on their home soil.
The Domestic Success and Its Foundations
Celtic success in recent years can’t be compared to any other league. The utter dominance in the last decade saw them lose the title only once. Celtic always aims to have the best local lads playing for them, with worldwide scouting allowing them to bring in exotic talent. Financially, the Celts can’t compare themselves with teams from England and other European powerhouses. That’s why local scouting matters a lot. Also, they tend to seek gems in the parts of the world where bigger clubs haven’t asserted their dominance.
Today, Celtic has a Japanese backbone, with some of its best players coming from Japan. The decision to bring to the club the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, and Reo Hatate didn’t only bring dividends on the field but also brought them fans from Japan. Yet Celtic wouldn’t be what it is today without the likes of James Forrest, Callum McGregor, Anthony Ralston, and Greg Taylor.
The team is filled with international talent, and in today’s climate, it is the only way to assert dominance over other teams. Relying only on academy products into a viable way to have success unless you’re in Barcelona. Celtic has a strong enough team to play even the English Premier League with names such as Kasper Schmeichel, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Paulo Bernardo, Arne Engels, Adam Idah, and Nicolas Kuhn in addition to the three Japanese masters we mentioned.
With Brendan Rodgers being once again at the helm of Celtic the domestic success is almost guaranteed. Everyone is expecting it, and thus, the eyes of the broader public often shift to what Celtic can do on the international scene. It is simple to see why things are like this. Currently, Celtic has ten wins and one draw after eleven rounds. The team has scored 31 goals and conceded only 3. With this tempo, they will break all kinds of records until the end of the year. It’s no wonder that fans believe that this type of dominance should be translated to the competition in the Champions League.
2024/25 Champions League & Celtic Aspirations
Celtic is going on a walkthrough in the Scottish Premiership, and thus, the fans want to see if this team can finally reach the elimination stages of the Champions League. The new format allows smaller teams to hope to reach the later stages. Celtic is by no means a small club, but in terms of finances, it can’t be compared to the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester City, Arsenal, Inter, or PSG.
Yet, when facing teams at Celtic Park, the Celts do not tremble before anyone. The European nights in the northern part of Europe are not a nice visit to anyone. The hostile atmosphere created by the fans can freeze the blood in opponents’ veins, and thus, the fans believe that once the team is in the knockout stages of the CL, wonders are possible.
So far, Celtic was solid in Europe. After four rounds, they sit comfortably in place number 15 and are hoping for better days. Half of their fixtures have been played, and as one could have expected they are dominant at home and shy away. Yet, the results speak for themselves. When playing at home, Celtic has scored eight goals and conceded only two. They had a goalless draw against Atalanta, while they were tarnished by BVB 7 to 1. This is a result the fans want to forget, and they ought to, as the fate of their team will be decided in the next four matches.
With 7 points from 4 rounds, they are not far away from the top. Liverpool is the only team with four wins, and thus, reaching the top eight and avoiding the elimination rounds is achievable, considering that Aston Villa has 9 points at position number 8. The new year in Europe is at hand for Celtic but they need to do good in the next four fixtures. For all of you into online sports betting these are the next four big European matches for Celtic you can bet on:
* Club Brugge—Celtic has another winnable match on their schedule. Club Brugge has been solid so far, but the team is not playing its best football, neither in Europe nor in Belgium. After four rounds, they have two wins and two draws. Realistically, they should be no match for Celtic on their home turf. With this win, Celtic would be one step closer to making their name big in Europe once again and making Celtic Park their fortress as it once was.
* Dinamo Zagreb – Dinamo is far from a European powerhouse, and we’re looking at another winnable fixture on Celtic’s schedule. Yet, Dinamo Zagreb shouldn’t be underestimated by any means. After being destroyed by Bayern 9 to 2, they have gone back and reclaimed their pride. After a draw with Monaco, Dinamo won two consecutive matches against Sturm Graz and Slovan Bratislava. Celtic is far above both teams in terms of quality, so at least a draw should be on the table, but going for a win is what Celtic should do.
* Young Boys – As you can see, Celtic has been blessed with what one could call an easy schedule. With only two home wins in the next four matches, they would be guaranteed a spot in the knockout stages of the Champions League. But, with a bit more than that, they can finish in the top eight and wait for their opponent a bit more, having more time to prepare for the games that mean the most on the European stage. We shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves, but a match against YB at home is a win for every man engaged with sport betting. The former Swiss champions have the worst year in recent memory and can’t reach the upper half of the table in their domestic league, while in Europe, they are one of the five teams with four defeats.
* Aston Villa – The one real test Celtic need to face in the next four European fixtures. Aston Villa is a serious opponent. Led by Unai Emery, Villa is playing up to high standards. They are forcing strong teams into corners both domestically and in Europe. Villa won against Bayern, Young Boys, and Bologna and surprisingly lost to Club Brugge. In the Premier League, they sit in 9th place with two consecutive defeats, showing that their form is dipping. The only downside of this duel is that it is scheduled for January. If it were happening now, we would go on Stake and bet on Celtic, as they are a better team. The picture might change till January, considering how English teams are active during the January transfer window.
Celtic’s current squad will not be changed much, if at all. Given the strength of their players, it is only fair that we single out a few of them who made the biggest contribution to Celtic’s most recent successes at the start of the 2024/25 season.
Nicolas Kuhn
The German player is a standout man for Brendan Rodgers’s side. The Northern Irishman always knew how to make the best out of his wingers, and Kuhn is no exception to that rule. The former Rapid Vienna man is now fully settled at Celtic’s right wing after a shaky start to his career in Scotland. Banging goals and assists left and right, he is by far the best player in the current Celtic side. Bought at a bargain price of 3.5 million pounds, he looks like a player big English teams will be banking on in the not-so-distant future. Kuhn is no local hero, but he has already bought the hearts of Celtic supporters with his performances. More of the same is expected from him in the coming weeks and months, and we surely hope that he can continue in the same manner.
Kasper Schmeichel
Brought in to fill Joe Hart’s shoes, Kasper has done that and even more. It was seen as a stop-gap solution due to his advancing age and not-so-good spells with Nice and Anderlecht. Schmeichel has put all doubters to rest with his perfect performances between the poles at Celtic Park. He has been a perfect signing so far, inspiring confidence from the back and making Celtic’s defense one of the most solid unties on the island.
Kyogo Furuhashi
The Japanese goal machine is truly a Celtic man in his heart. After being tied to a transfer to Manchester City during the summer as a replacement for Julian Alvarez, Kyogo was a bit unsettled early in the season. Now, he has found his stride, and with 4 goals and 3 assists, his name is on Celtic fans’ lips. It is expected that his form will only get better as the season progresses, and we’ve seen only a bit of what he can do so far.
Daizen Maeda
As we said, Celtic now has a Japanese backbone, and it is all thanks to Daizen Maeda. Yes, he only has two league goals and the same number of assists, but his work ethic and determination on the field have been inspiring. As a winger, Maeda has been tasked with a lot of defensive work, and he’s been perfect at it. Nowadays, Celtic’s first eleven can’t be imagined without his name.
Callum McGregor
As we said at the beginning, the Celtics love to rely on their home-grown talent. McGregor is the team’s captain and the man through who all action goes through. With his ability to dictate the tempo and score long-distance bangers, Callum is adored by the Celtic fan base. While Kuhn is playing slightly better at the moment, we can’t look past McGregor as a candidate for the Player of the Year. It is a long season, but we can already bet that one of the Celtic players is going for that accolade.
Greg Taylor
Taylor is a prototype of a Scottish left-back—pacey, strong, good on the ball, and with perfect crossing. Greg has been a mainstay in this Celtic defense, and he has merited every minute he played. Good at the back and even better at going forward, Taylor provides that creative spark from the back. He’s one of those players who, if not renewed soon, could find themselves playing in the English Premier League. Yes, he’s that good.
Bottom Line
Celtic has good things going on for them at the moment. The league position is number 1, and they are looking to stay that way come the year’s end, with some good performance in Europe. If things go their way even more, we could have seen a good Celtic side playing football in Europe during late Spring. With Rodgers making things clear with this ambition in his second Celtic stint, it is clear that soon, all attention from Celtic leadership and supporters will shift toward Europe, and that’s the way we want it too.
Image Source: unsplash.com
