With Rangers crashing out of Europe at the 1st hurdle, what can Celtic seriously expect from their European campaign?

Being parachuted into the UEFA cup after finishing 3rd in their group would be a good achievement but are they capable of challenging for the UEFA Cup or do some think they can even make a serious challenge in the Champion's League?

Personally, I think the quality of the SPL is at an all time low and Celtic are going to find it very tough in Europe.

the quality of rangers is at a low, the rest of the SPL is more or less the same.

celtic will probably make the last 16 again.

Celtic are pish as well and we should take advantage this season with less games midweek to be played until they get knocked out............because they will! It is inevitable!

If we get to the last 16 of the CL again I will be amazed. The UEFA Cup is more realistic for us but I doubt we will get near the final.

It all depends on the draw. With us being in pot 3, it is going to be tough even more so if we draw the likes of Donetsk againt from pot 4.

I think tonight will be the highlight for Celtic fans in Europe this season.

Aye but what a great highlight it was

sorry mate our opening champions league match will be the start of the highlights

did you hear that our "OPENING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH"

just incase you failed to hear it i said "OPENING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH"

No I didn't hear it, I did see it however

Is that the best you can do? After watching your side's humiliating and catastrophic capitulation to Hearts reserves, I'd have expected more than this rather insulting slur against a side who, after making it to the last 16 of the Champions League twice in the last two seasons, would surely look upon being dumped into the UEFA cup at the group stages as a major disappointment. Sour grapes much?! You huns are pathetic.

As one of the best 16 teams in Europe the last two seasons, we'd surely be among the favourites for the UEFA Cup, especially if teams as limited as Rangers can make the final.

I'm confident that we can make a splash in Europe this year. Bring on the Champions League!

It's important that Scottish clubs do well in Europe and after our result tonight, even more important this season that the other clubs do well.

I wish Celtic well in Europe as always.

Typical Hun reply!!

When they get humped- the " SPL STANDARD IS SHEEITE" comes out.

Oh The RANKERS ARE SHEEITE

OH THE RANKERS ARE SHEITE
OH THE RANKERS ARE SHEITE

Haddington Athletic's future - along with every other club in Scotland's footballing arsehole - is now in doubt due to the shite performance of Rangers. Bastards

Very good Millfield. We might need all our youth players as well now so no farming out from us!

Wrong way around

It all depends on the draw, but I think Celtic can be confident of at least finishing 3rd.

And 3 home wins would probably see them through to the last-16 of the CL again, which would be a great achievement again.

Celtic's target this season has to be to pick up at least a couple of points on their travels - I think when they get their first point and get over the mental barrier they will find it a lot easier.

I can actually seeing us getting a point away from home this term through sheer desperation to counter that, there is no way I can see us winning three home games.

With Milan in the UEFA Cup they will be the favourites to win it by miles. Obviously Celtic beat them in a group stage match in the CL last season, but they still won the group and with the addition of Ronaldinho and a season of failure behind them I'd expect them to bounce back this season.

It's rarely that simple, Bayern were predicted to breeze the UEFA Cup last season but came up short. If Celtic end up in the UEFA Cup then they'll have a chance but at the moment I don't see that they have the quality to win it, there are likely to be a handful of other teams more likely.

I think Milan will have a reduced focus on Europe this season. Getting back to the top of Serie A will be their priority.

If we go into the UEFA Cup much would depend also on how Strachan would cope with two legged affairs. So far under him we have played 4 such ties and won only one, that on penalties. An entirely different mentality is needed in these games.

Agree with that - although to be fair 2 of those ties were against Milan who went on to win the CL and Barcelona last season. It would be interesting to see how he coped in the UEFA Cup. I couldn't see him/Celtic snoring their way through games like Rangers last season.

Strachan's Celtic have been too good for the UEFA cup in the last couple of seasons. I expect that to continue, with another last 16 appearance in the CL.

Yes however away to Barcelona he went there with little attempt to attack and go for the jugular, which was needed. In two legged affairs, damage limitation excercises in the 2nd leg when you are trailing are nonsensical.

We would certainly have a go at home and if we got a result then it's fair enough to set your stall out as such away from home.

are you in the middle of a breakdown?

Just want to do as well as we can in the league stage, hope we get some big clubs and can give our fans something to shout about, I want to have q great time at these games, the rest will take care of itself

Obviosuly a lot of luck is involved in any team winning any tournament, but yes we probably could win it. But i would rather get through the group stages of the CL. Similar to the last 2 years.

An away win is due but maybe also a home defeat ? Think we will still qualify though as i can't see our groups being any tougher than previous seasons .
It's basically the same team with a little more experience and probably 1 or 2 new signings . No problem.

2 home wins and a draw, together with the away win will see Celtic through to the last 16 of the CL again.

An away goals victory (0-0 & 1-1 wattanacio style) would be fackin magic at that stage.

You jest, surely?

Nae jestin . It will be a tough group , no matter who we get , but i think we are improving at champions league level . I didn't mean the opposition would be any easier just that we are better . It's a relatively young squad with some experience .

I don’t see how we are improving in the CL. Last season we made no improvement performance wise on the previous season and struggled in all our games, only getting through by the skin of our teeth when our general play probably didn’t deserve us to do so. Every game is now a struggle for us and I doubt we will be as fortunate to get two injury time winners this time around.

In fact, we have probably had one convincing win under Strachan in the Champions League that being the outstandingly superb performance against Benfica in season 06-07. Without doubt his best game in charge of Celtic. The rest we have scraped through and can thank Boruc in particular for allowing this to happen. None of that should be a surprise of course given how often we scrape wins against lesser opposition in the SPL.

Getting to the last 16 is a real over-achievement for Celtic. This year Celtic are in pot 3, as they were last year. The UEFA diddy cup after a third placed finish is what should be expected.

Strachan's excellence has taken Celtic to levels that didn't look achieveable under the previous management.

I don't think it can be over emphasised how good a result it is for a Scottish team to reach the last 16 of the CL. And that goes for McLeish's Rangers, when they did it, also.

Without wanting to get onto another boring repeat of the usual, with regards to the boldened part, of course it looked achievable and indeed we were 4 minutes away from it before an inexplicable error from Balde.

I never felt at all confident that Celtic would qualify out of the group stages under O'Neill. I, and a lot of people, now expect them to do so again this season, without even knowing the draw.

I think that's an indication of how far Celtic have come under Strachan.

There is no need for any debate on the relative merits of the managers. In terms of success there is only one winner. Quite clearly. No one can possibly suggest otherwise.

It clearly did look achievable that season. Due to the quality of teams around us, it didn't look as achievable the first season we were in the CL despite us winning an excellent nine points, the most we have won in the group stages.

Other than that, carry on with your obsession.

I thought the year with Lyon and Munich, Celtic could breeze it as neither had looked particularly great teams the previous season. The Anderlecht side when Celtic lost 1-0 was pretty shit as well, Celtic fucked that one up that night.

Didn't they, Anderlecht, play with ten men for most of the game?

Are Milan in the Uefa Cup this year?

that is exactly what i think too

yes they are

Wonder if they will fall short like Bayern?

i hope so

europe hope's so