The Champions League group stage draw is taking place very soon and, with Celtic having had no qualifiers to worry about, it has felt like a long time coming.
With the draw happening at 5pm, discussions have begun amongst supporters as to who their preferred draw would be for Celtic’s Champions League group stage campaign
Dream Scenario
Pot 1: Feyenoord
Feyenoord would be the ideal choice from Pot 1.
Many could be identifying Sevilla, who currently sit rock bottom of the Spanish La Liga. However, the Andalusian side’s European pedigree is known and the club always up their level on a European stage, as seen last season when Sevilla won the Europa League even though their domestic campaign was far from ideal.
Feyenoord departed last season’s Europa League in the quarter final stage against Roma and currently sit 6th place in the Eredivisie. A rematch of the 1970 European Cup final would be the best draw for Celtic.
Pot 2: Porto
Pot 2 doesn’t exactly have any preferred options for Celtic with a lot of Europe’s giants in this pot.
Porto dropped out of the Champions League in the last 16 against Inter Milan and sit 2nd in the Primeira League.
Still a daunting task, but of the other teams available, fans would kill to for another European final rematch against the Dragões.
Pot 3: Red Star Belgrade
Pot 3 has a few teams that Celtic fans would prefer to draw.
Young Boys and Shakhtar Donetsk could be attractive propositions, with fans perhaps wanting to draw the Ukranians after Celtic went toe-to-toe with them on two occasions last season. This time round, of course, they’ll be without their star man Mykhailo Mudryk.
However, despite the tough trip to Belgrade, Red Star didn’t impress in European competitions last season. Finishing bottom of a Europa League group consisting of Ferencvaros, Monaco and Trabzonspor, Red Star didn’t show much quality and the capital club currently sit 2nd in the Serbian first division behind Backa Topola.
Nightmare Scenario
Pot 1: Manchester City
Arguably the best team in the world at the moment, Pep Guardiola’s Citizens won a treble last season as they picked up the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.
This would be an ‘avoid at all costs’ draw for Celtic despite drawing home and away against Manchester City back in the 2016/17 season.
Pot 2: Real Madrid
The competition’s most successful club, Real Madrid somehow find themselves in pot 2 and drawing Los Blancos would strike fear into the hearts of any team in this season’s Champions League.
Drawing fellow Madrid side Atletico, as well as the likes of Arsenal or Inter Milan, would also prove to be troubling fixtures for Celtic.
Pot 3: AC Milan
As previously mentioned, there are a couple of sides in pot 3 that Celtic fans would definitely take, but the team to avoid is AC Milan.
The Rossoneri are top of Serie A after two wins from two and have heavily strengthened their side this summer with an impressive transfer window that has widely gone under the radar.
JAMES MCKENZIE
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