What do Celtic need to progress in Champions League?

They might have only played one of their eight group games, but Celtic fans will already be wondering what it will take to progress in the Champions League.

Wednesday's 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava was the club's biggest ever in the competition and the first time they had opened a league phase or group campaign with three points.

It's early days, of course, but they sit second in the 36-team table as one of 10 teams on three points.

A top-eight finish would earn Celtic an automatic last-16 place, with a play-off to reach that stage the prize for team who end up between ninth and 24th place.

According to analysis by Opta, 16 points would almost certainly secure a top-eight place and 10 would be good enough for a play-off spot.

Celtic are therefore probably just four wins and a draw from advancing directly to the knockout rounds, or two wins and a draw away from securing a play-off.

Brendan Rodgers' side have won their past two home games in the competition but have not won on the road in the Champions League since during the manager's first spell in charge in 2017.

Borussia Dortmund are up next in Germany in two weeks and will pose a far stiffer test, before matches against RB Leipzig, Club Bruges and Young Boys in Glasgow and trips to face Atalanta, Dinamo Zagreb and Aston Villa.

"Our next three games are tough but exciting," Rodgers said. "We know it's a long road."


'That's the level, we want to keep showing it' - Rodgers

Captain Callum McGregor believes Celtic fans should be able to dream about what their side can achieve.

"Let them think everything," McGregor told BBC Scotland. "That's what we want. We want pure positivity. We want that."

Celtic had five different scorers in Glasgow and the captain said there is "no reason" his side cannot continue their fine start.

"Let's enjoy it and and go and take the challenge on head-on," McGregor said.

"That goal difference is going to be really important. There'll be a lot of teams sitting on similar points so we have to keep an eye on that as well."



BBC