Celtic today issued a very helpful guide to the Champions League draw, which takes place tonight at around 5:00 p.m. The reason this is particularly helpful is that some of the media hasn’t been particularly good at explaining how the Champions League draw is going to work, or in explaining how the tournament itself will be structured.
That’s a subject I’ve written about a few times on this site over the last few years. Ever since I first heard what the details of this competition format were going to be, I’ve thought it was bizarre. It’s something we’re certainly not used to, and something that I very much doubt fans are going to enjoy a great deal. It’s also already undergone some subtle shifts.
It was initially pegged to be 10 games rather than 8, but clubs and associations quite rightly freaked out over that because that is two games too many. And they are correct. It’s virtually impossible to fit many more games into football’s crowded calendar, and still, tournament organisers try to.
The tournament seems complicated, but in fact, it really isn’t.
Yet, I keep seeing national newspapers getting it wrong and misunderstanding how the whole system is going to work. One newspaper the other day said that Celtic were in Pot 3, and so they could only get teams from Pots 1, 2, and 4. Which, of course, is nonsense as we can also draw teams from Pot 3. They appeared completely oblivious to this, despite the fact that these changes have literally been around for years and have been well covered in the media for a long time. National newspapers not understanding this stuff is just ridiculous.
So, Celtic has cut through all the baloney and the BS.
They’ve published a very helpful, very useful guide on how the competition works, and I advise everyone who wants to understand it to go and read the Celtic site. They’ve explained it perfectly well. The competition will take place in a very different way than it has in previous years.
We’ll play four teams at home and four teams away. We will not play the same team twice. There are four pots; we will get two teams from each pot, including our own. All the teams will take part in a single league system. The eight teams with the most points will go through automatically to the next stage. The next sixteen teams will be drawn against each other in a traditional cup format, with two-legged encounters. Eight of those teams will drop out of Europe entirely; there is no parachute into a lower competition. The other eight will go through to the Champions League round of 16.
So, if you can’t finish in the top 8 – and no one expects Celtic to – you are aiming for a 9th to 24th place finish. Anything below that and it’s arrivederci. Goodbye.
So that’s how it works. And thank you to Celtic for actually providing a proper, easily digestible guide instead of the shambolic attempts that some of the media have made to do the same thing. We should take particular pleasure in Celtic’s effort, because they included a wee throwaway line for our enjoyment, and I got a wee chuckle out of it.
They explained the ways in which the draw and the teams we can get will be different from previous years. Aside from the fact that the computer will make the draw, we can also draw teams from the same country twice. In short, we can get two German teams, two Spanish teams, or two English teams. We cannot, however, draw a team from our own nation.
This is something that Celtic pointed out with the words: “This, however, does not affect the Celts as we are the only Scottish side in the tournament.”
And I have to admit, that did make me laugh.
It is about as subtle as a punch in the face.
But it doesn’t elaborate, and it doesn’t have to. The only Scottish side in the competition.
In terms of this, there’s not much more that needs to be said. So thank you, Celtic, for laying out the details of the tournament and for including that wee Easter egg for the fans.
Now, get on with signing some damn players for the tournament. The window shuts tomorrow.
On what would normally be a really exciting day – UCL draw – I find myself not giving a toss about it, to the point where I’m not even going to tune in to the draw.
Why, you might ask? Lawwell and Nicholson have contrived to make this the worst transfer window in recent history, despite resources at the Club that outweigh anything we’ve had in our long history.
We are now, without doubt, woefully short on quality, and looking at the cheap options to replace quality departures once again. We don’t have a team/squad that even comes close to being able to compete in Europe’s elite competition and, even with the will, don’t jave anywhere near enough time to rectify it (Lawwell & Nicholson swanning off on holiday for the UCL draw).
I’ll find out later which 8 teams are going to hand us a doing.
This will go down as the most embarrassing UCL group stage in our history……and it’s all down to the complete and utter incompetence of the Board.
We might even set a new UCL record…..worst team in tournament history ever will be a fitting Lawwell legacy.
There is not one person on that Board who could not be replaced by someone much better.
Enjoy domestic football this year folks, Europe will be a shambles.
It’s achievable to at least reach the last 16, it’s down to who we get in the knockout rounds but a favourable could see a last 8 or better even on the basis of two legged affairs. If we can play, and I know they were friendlies, like we did against City and Chelsea then it’s doable. In all honesty who expected those performances and results.
A mid to easy draw today just has to emphasise the need for the board to go all out and get those signings in. Do that, Hump the Huns on and it has all the ingredients to be a pretty good season. We deserve it
At least we are guaranteed European football after Xmas
I’m still hoping for a decent CB but I’ve no idea what Auston Trusty is like as that appears to be the option we’re chasing. He’s never been on my radar or anyone I know but if he is decent big and strong then why does no one else after him. Suspicious mind but hey hoping it’s a BR target first and foremost. Also should we acquire Engels then they will I’m sure enhance the squad but will either or both of these strengthen our CL prospects.
I know this is a out there but if no EPL club appears to show interest I’d like to see us push out the boat and make a cheeky loan bid enquiry for Raheem Sterling, definite CL quality. Obviously this would require a wage payment arrangement with Chelsea fronting the majority of it but it would get him off their books and we’d be offering him games, CL matches to play in and a high level stage to advertise himself on. If we can pay £1.3m loan payment on an unknown Barca player, why not show some proper ambition and importantly Brendan has a strong history and connection down there. Fantasy football maybe but if you don’t shoot, you don’t score
I will be screaming at the TV if Nicholson is at that draw schmoozing with the glitterati when he should be getting feking deals completed!! I’ve said from the very start I had concerns about this window (and repeatedly said it on here), because I just didn’t believe that this board had demonstrated anything in previous windows which could possibly give me any confidence they had the ability to get it right.
From what I have seen and read from the SMSM regarding the CL Draw , there has been underwhelming and nonchalant coverage surrounding it ! There has been more fervour and considerations about Hagi of theRangers determined to stop sulking like a spoiled brat and fighting for a game now and then . What kind of coverage would be afforded to the Ibroxland clumpany if it was part of the draw and not Celtic today ? Wee Scotty and Inaction and Gav and big Andy from a struggling rag would all be on the plane to witness the carnival draw accompanied by tea time lagers ,no doubt ….
if you cant play a team from your own country how can we draw two german teams as this would mean german teams playing against oneanother.
We win our home games and maybe get a wee draw or two then the last 16 is very doable but need that bit of luck with draw. Mon the HOOPS