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The beginning of a new season has become a wearingly familiar experience for Celtic fans. Players and coaches will stress that this campaign will be different, and that lessons have been learned. But every year, Celtic fall at one of the earliest hurdles in a nascent European campaign, accentuating the fact that there much change needed at the club for it to succeed on the continental stage.
This year, even the most pessimistic (realistic, perhaps) of Celtic fans were quietly confident of an aggregate win over Austrian side LASK, after the 3-0 win at Parkhead. We all know how the second leg of that tie went, and now Celtic must navigate the second-tier European club competition instead.
Given Celtic’s recent history of European competition, there will not be many sportsbook websites confidently offering the club as a potential Europa League winner. But now that the draw for the league phase has been completed, and the club knows its fate, is there the possibility that Celtic might actually be able to add to its honors list and win the Europa League this season?
Comparison with English Teams
It is usually the case each season that the English Premier League teams are among the favorites to win all three of the European club competitions. Even the best tend to only be in with a slight chance in the Champions League, but the wealth of England’s top tier turns even their smaller sides into favorites when it comes to the Europa and Conference Leagues.
Although historically, Celtic would be regarded as a bigger club than any of England’s representatives in the Europa League this season, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, and Sunderland are all considered more likely champions. We can argue about the more impressive power and tradition of Celtic all day, but recent history would suggest that there is more likely to be an English Europa League champion than a Scottish one this season.
League Phase Games
So, how can Celtic go about upsetting the odds and claiming a first continental trophy since 1967? A successful league phase would be a start, but the club hasn’t been able to progress to the knock out rounds of a European competition for the last six years.
This season Celtic face a selection of teams from all four seeded pots, with differing levels of expectation of what could happen. The home ties will be all-important, as usual, with Ferencvaros, Celta Vigo, Besiktas, and Marseille slated for a trip to Glasgow. Those are arguably all winnable, and most would feel as if at least three of those need to go Celtic’s way if it is to automatically qualify for the knockout rounds.
On the road, Celtic will play Benfica, Torreense, Omonia, and Union Saint-Gilloise. Aside from that tough first away game in Lisbon, the other three games look manageable, although playing away from home in Europe is never an easy task. It took 16 points for a top eight finish last season, so there will need to be some victories on the road for Celtic to avoid the peril of a knockout playoff tie to go through.
Potential Champions
Although performances in recent seasons do not really warrant Celtic fans thinking about winning the Europa League, even a successful initial league phase will not guarantee any silverware for the club. Even if Celtic does make it through to the knockout stages, there are some big sides in Europe’s secondary club competition this season.
Aside from the English contingent, who it might be said are not as strong as previous years, there are a whole host of teams from Italy, Germany, and Spain who will fancy their chances. Both Benfica and Marseille, from Celtic’s opening run of games, will be in contention, but there are some other teams with extensive European experience vying to be involved in the later rounds.
Juventus and Milan are the most eye-catching, of course. The two Italian giants are more used to lifting the Champions League trophy, but both play in the Europa League this season. Germany’s challenge will come from Bayer Leverkusen and will be no pushover, while Real Sociedad join Celta Vigo as another Spanish side capable of doing well in the competition.
With other Dutch, French, and Greek clubs very used to playing in Europe, there are countless other teams that could pose a real problem to Celtic in its pursuit of glory this season. Winning at home would seem to be crucial against any of these sides, but Celtic will also need to learn how to go away from home and come back with a victory – or, at least a draw – if the campaign is to have any kind of success this season.
Image Source: Pexels
Celtic and European Football
Most Celtic fans will recognize that if there is to be any kind of achievement on the continent, it will come from institutional change at the club. There are issues that need to be addressed quickly if the fans are not to go through the same experience every year. The farcical European campaigns of the last few seasons are only symptoms of the greater problems at the club.
That being said, there should be a chance of doing well this season. There is greater stability when it comes to the coaching side of things, and hopefully that will translate into more consistently good performances from the squad, which hopefully can be bolstered during the season.
Celtic has an incredible history when it comes to European football. But the last few years have severely tarnished that reputation. A successful Europa League campaign is now vital for everyone connected to the club.
Header Image Source: Pixabay
