Celtic were one of five seeds from the Champions League, champions’ section, in the last round, but only one of the other seeds is still in the competition, so while seeding is welcome, it would be a mistake to read too much into it.
I’ve no idea what happened in Malmo last night, where the Swedish champions overturned Salzburg’s two goal lead from the first leg in a remarkable first half, and are a potential opponent for Celtic in today’s draw. At half time I still fancied Salzburg to get things together and qualify, but Swedish football gets its act together every now and then. There appears to be some substance to this Malmo team.
A trip to Albania to play Skenderbeu would be ideal. They are a small town club who are in the play-off round after beating Crusaders and Moldovan’s Milsami Orhei. It would also give those of us who’ve been around for a while a chance to bore the rest of you about that great game against Partizan Tirana.
A return to Astana is also possible, this time to play FK Astana, who beat HKJ Helsinki in the last round. The most alarming fact about Astana is that they beat Maribor in the second round. You remember Maribor? The name sounds familiar but I can’t place them.
The team with the highest coefficient we can face is Maccabi Tel-Aviv. Maccabi overcame a first leg defeat to Hibernians (the Maltese Hibs, that is). They then lost at home to Czechs Viktoria Plzen but a two goal victory in Plzen saw them through. I missed the preseason game against Sparta Prague, what shape is Czech club football in?
Former finalists Partizan Belgrade are the fifth and final possibility. They beat the Georgian champions before seeing off seeded former winners Steaua Bucharest in the third round. So although Skenderbeu would be my choice, a trip to Belgrade would be a decent alternative.
Reading through the list, the one thing which is evident is that Champions League football would be transformational for every team in the ‘champions’ side of the draw. The aspirations invested in qualifying will be huge. The Albanians would earn around 20 times their annual income. Expect every trick in the book.
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fastbhoy
Do you have a link, please?
Cheers if you can.
There’s a big golden thing in the sky over East Lothian today, anyone seen it before or what its called……..
Our resources comfortably outnumber the potential opponents. It really is a dream opportunity for us. We cannot botch it up like last time.
flights to Sweden,an arm and 2 legs.belgrade stop over in munich.needs to be return at celtic park for me.
big ps if young mallan scores for st Mirren tonight you will hear the clan bringing the asbestos roof down.all the family from York are on route.
WC
Can I have a pic of bobby Lennox
HH
Paul67 nice words about our Kano. What a mhan. Good to remind his family that he is remembered by many and his legacy lives on. My earliest memories on CQN were Pablo’s Friday music. He started early bells so I listened to his music Friday night nz while catching up on Celtic and just relaxing for the weekend. Hail Hail
In addition to UEFA.com the CL draw is live on Eurosport TV channels
Mon The Celtic:)))
Zadok time on BT Sport!
Seems, if we draw Skenderbeu, smart move is cheap flight to Corfu, a pedallo across to Sarande, then a 240Km cycle to Korce.
Who’s up for it?
Two weans(5&6) nipping my headabout going to the pet shop to see the hamsters and rabbits,
“sit down kids todays lesson is about priorities, see at 11 o,clock The Celtic are in the draw for the football”
All sitting singing come on ye bhoys in green
Whit animalsCSC
Ooooh we can pick wee photos?
Can I have either Rico Annoni, Nakamura or Paul Lambert?
B-)
we are now approaching one if these not too frequent events – a mid-thread podium chase for the first person to post who we got in the draw after it is made
unfortunately i cant join in but i will check again in half an hour and probably read the 86th person to post it to find out
good luck men
are we ready?
begin
HH
Celtic v Malmo
So it’s Malmo at home first leg.
First leg 18/19th, second leg 25/26th Aug tbc
Signing deadline Monday 10th August @ 11pm
Hi, welcome to the draw.
The object of this draw is to ensure a final match between Real Madrid and AC Milan or equivalent.
Heaven forbid a Celtic or Sparta Prague ‘type’ club win it….
Dam!
Malmo so that’s Beefy disappointed:))
Malmo
On the photos beside the moniker thingy,an option might be to enable the poster to create his own.
It might be a favourite legendary or cult star,a favourite moment like Henrik’s chip. Or even the GREEN BRIGADE inspired 125 tifo,as posted yesterday by BOURNESOUPRECIPE.
Anything is possible in this best of all possible sites(!)
Malmo it is… Terrific home form this season.
Hmmm
Malmo – home first
67ECW
SA BLOOMIN FIX….
Jo Inge Berget will be back to haunt us a la Harald Brattback…
Or Mo Bangura…
Malmo,
Jamesgang’s busy digging out that Jo Inge Berget poster….
We will need a big performance I think in Sweden..
Fecksake.
Fiddlesticks – tough one
Bring it on
Win yer home leg and dont lose yer away leg
JobdoneCSC
Ps Please let it be wed 19th
On the plus side I’m sure our scouts and Ronny know Malmo inside out.
HH
My last choice, but to play in CL you have to beat the best (Unless you get lucky in the draw and sneak past the less than best).
Pity it’s Malmo but, then again, Ronny should be more familiar with Skandi footie so maybe not all bad.
Saga Noren, your boys will take a helluva beating. :-)
Hmmmm…
Well,tbh my fifth choice. But probably the only one wi clement weather at this time of year.
Worst possible draw.
Only Belgrade could have been tougher.
Big Physical team well into their season and the second leg away.
Not enough goals in the Celtic team to make it an easy enough passage and having big defenders is no use in Malmo. They’re all 6 footers.
Dreadful draw.
As seeded team do we play away first?
BelfastCelt
No 1st out home 1st