Holland, Spain And Italy Beckon As Celtic Get Handed A Reasonable Draw.

There were three cities I was not going to miss if we got them in this year’s Champions League draw.

They were, in my order of preference, Rome, Naples and Salzburg. I was never going to get all three as the Italian ones couldn’t be drawn together, but I was over the moon to get the one I most wanted. Rome is my dream city, as regular readers will be aware with the amount of times I mention Roman history. And I have missed two previous trips.

The Champions League draw has sent us back there, and once again to play Lazio. We don’t have a good relationship with their fans; that’s an understatement, I think.

But nothing will prevent me from visiting that most special of cities, no matter what.

The draw has thrown up an interesting old rivalry; Atletico Madrid.

I was going to do a piece on that if we got them and I think I will. I reckon we let bygones be bygones on that one.

It was never as bitter a hatred as some of those I’ve written about.

But having visited Madrid last season – and it was a great trip, I really did love it – I don’t think I’ll go back.

Rotterdam … that’s a teasing one.

I would love to see that place, and of course I will at some point. But it won’t be this season because I’ve waited my whole life to see Rome and this is as good a way to do it as any. I am going.

That’s that. There is no way I’m not.

In football terms – and that’s what you want to read about, not my excitement about the three possible trips away haha – I think this a much kinder draw than we could have gotten elsewhere. I am certainly not playing down the strengths of the three sides, but we can go toe to toe with these clubs I think, and if we play well you never know.

The Dutch are obviously a side most people would think we’ve got a shot against; I would caution against over-expectation on that score. They are no mugs. They have a quality right through their ranks and we only have to look at what the side who finished second did to the Ibrox side the other night to know not to take them for granted.

All three sides are dangerous. All three pose a serious threat.

But let’s be honest; when you see a group where we could have gotten Real Madrid and Napoli, or Bayern Munich and Manchester Utd, you realise that in fact we’ve not done too badly.

Lazio will want revenge for recent history.

Celtic fans will want payback against Atletico for sins past.

I personally want us to skelp Feyenoord since we know now that half of their team was doping when they beat us in the European Cup Final of 1970. It might seem petty to be bringing that up after more than 50 years but I honestly would love to do them.

There were a lot of potential Groups of Death there we could have gotten.

This is a Group of Peril.

We have a chance of doing reasonably well, but we will have to play at the very top of our game and even then there are no guarantees … but it’s a good draw, you might even say that it’s a favourable one.

Only time will tell whether it proves to be a winnable one.

Still, guys, I think that’s a decent draw, and I think we can look forward to the games without fear.

Which is more than I thought I might be writing just a week ago. Onwards and upwards!