Pitfalls with Malmo and Vidi but AEK remain major hurdle

The incentive for Brendan Rodgers and his players is clear, beat AEK Athens and you will face either Malmo or Vidi (known as Videoton until earlier this year) in the Champions League play-off round.

Malmo, who are 16 games into their league programme, will be slight favourites to make the play-off round.  They beat Romanians Cluj in the last round and Kosovans Drita in the first qualifier.

The Swedes were eliminated from the second qualifying round last year by Vardar of Macedona – a stage which did not offer the compensation of a Europa League entry.

Vidi recorded the result of the last round by eliminating Ludogorets Razgrad 1-0 on aggregate.  They overcame Maltese and Estonian opposition a year ago, before recording a remarkable away goals victory over Girondins Bordeaux.  Eventually losing 4-0 on aggregate to Partizan Belgrade.

It all went wrong for Celtic three years ago when former player, Jo Inge Berget returned to haunt us for Malmo.  Berget scored twice in the Champions League play-off first leg at Celtic Park in a 3-2 Celtic win, but the Swedes progressed after winning the return 2-0.

Malmo changed manager in June, appointing Uwe Rosler, who was sacked by Fleetwood Town in February,  Not a conventional route to Champions League glory.

There are pitfalls if we approach the tie as ill-prepared as we were in 2015, or as Bordeaux were last month, but AEK are by far the strongest team we will face in order to reach the group stage.

It’s all about Celtic Park on Wednesday; the hugest or hugest games.