Good SPFL fixtures for Celtic’s European qualifiers

The SPFL computer has pitched Celtic against Hamilton Accies, at home, in the middle of what could be our Champions League play-off tie.  The Lanarkshire club visit Celtic Park on 25 August, while the play-off games are due to take place on 21/22 and 28/29 August.

There is a trip to Tynecastle in the middle of the previous Champions League qualification round, while we open at home to Livingston a week earlier.

Sending Livingston to watch the Champions lift their trophy before starting life in the top flight is a huge challenge for the newly promoted club.  Celtic, and the occasion, should be sufficient to overwhelm them.  Look out for re-runs of last season’s 4-0 defeat to Hearts to add some spice to our Tynecastle trip, but that venue has been more than generous to us in recent years.  You could scarecely handpick a more suitable opponent in the middle of the play-off round than Accies.

Brendan Rodgers will surely be satisfied with the games during this crucial period of the season, when priorities lie in Europe.  I think we are happy with this.