Moravcik67

Celtic current status: Currently rummaging through the bins out the back of Asda trying to find an unbroken pack of Custard Creams.

a man in a suit and tie sits at a table with a microphone ALT: a man in a suit and tie sits at a table with a microphone

Michael Nicholson & Co, right now.

Losing 9-1 on aggregate, and 6-0 in one of the legs, are both Champions League Playoff round records.

Some going to break two records on one night.

You have to go back to 2004/05 to find a worse aggregate score in the final CL qualifier (then QR3) - Monaco beating Gorica 9-0.

Well that was fucking awful.

Plenty of blame to go around, starting with the money hoarding parasites in the boardroom.

BR can take his share as well. He looks like he has no idea how to change it when it's not working.

The players were awful too.

We're just so stale as a club, top to bottom.

We'll play one of the following in the CL Playoff.

Slovan Bratislava or Kairat
Basel
Qarabağ or Shkëndija
Sturm Graz
Dynamo Kyiv or Pafos

The draw is on Monday. 1st leg on the 19th/20th August. Return leg a week later.

Basel and Sturm Graz.

All the other teams mentioned as potential opponents will need to qualify

That's decided at the draw.

No. That's decided at the draw.

Rijeka won the Croatian league. It means Celtic will be seeded for the CL Playoff next season.

Potential opponents include:

Maccabi Tel-Aviv
Slovan Bratislava
FC Basel
Qarabag FK
Sturm Graz
Ludogorets
Dynamo Kyiv
FCSB - Steaua
Lech Poznan
Malmö FF
Rijeka

Yep

Both Rijeka and Zagreb are winning 1-0 at HT. A Rijeka win is enough for us to be seeded in the playoff.

Copenhagen are in the driving seat in Denmark. They're 1-0 up at HT, while Midtjylland are 1-1. Won't matter, though, if Rijeka win.

Could all change, though. Need Rijeka to see it through.

2. Copenhagen have a 1pt lead over Midtjylland going into the final game at 4pm.

Zagreb are level on points with Rijeka going into their final game, also at 4pm, but are behind on the H2H. If Rijeka win, they win the title.

Interesting 3 way battle in Croatia, as Hadjuk Split are only 2pts back.

1. Ferencvaros won the Hungarian league yesterday.

If Copenhagen and Dinamo Zagreb win their respective leagues later today we'll be unseeded for the CL playoff UNLESS one of the teams ranked above us is knocked out in QR2 of qualifying.

If either fail to win their league, we'll be seeded.

Of course, Rijeka lost their game against Hadjuk Split, meaning the Croatian league goes to the final game next weekend.

For Zagreb to win the league they must better Rijeka's result. Even that might not be enough. If they draw, Rijeka lose, and Hadjuk win, Hadjuk would take the title on H2H.

It's decided by head to head. But it only seems to be used, if needed, to decide on the champion once all games have been played. Until then it seems to go by goal difference, goals scored, etc.

Rijeka would win a direct head to head between the two. So they need only 3 more points.

Dinamo Zagreb drew their penultimate league game tonight.

It means Rijeka need only one win from their last two games to take the Croatian title. That would ensure that Celtic will be seeded in the CL playoff round.

6. But that's based on higher ranking teams progressing from earlier rounds.

Other potential opponents if seeded are Dynamo Kyiv, Malmo, Steaua Bucharest, Hapoel Beer Sheeva, Sheriff Tiraspol and Midtjylland.

With leagues still playing out, some of the potential opponents might change.

/End

5. If we aren't seeded we'd play one of the 5 teams mentioned above - Bodo, Red Star, Zagreb, Copenhagen or Ferencvaros; assuming that they all come through QR3.

If we are seeded, our playoff opponent is currently projected to be one of:

Slovan Bratislava
Basel
Qarabag
Ludogorets
Sturm Graz

4. In Denmark, Copenhagen are 1pt clear of Midtjylland with 3 games to play. They play tomorrow in Copenhagen.

In Hungary, Ferencvaros are 3pts clear with 3 to play.

In Croatia, Zagreb are 1pt behind with 3 to play. But they're the team with better form, having beaten both title rivals recently.

3. Bodo will definitely be in the playoff draw, as that'll be the round they start in.

Red Star have won their league and would need to win their QR2 tie to be in it.

The other 3 still need to win their league, and then win their QR2 tie to be in the playoff draw.

2. It means that there are now only 5 teams who could be ranked ahead of us for the playoff draw. They are:

Bodo/Glimt
Red Star Belgrade
Copenhagen
Dinamo Zagreb
Ferencvaros

If all 5 are in the draw for the CL playoff, we'll be unseeded.

Any less than 5 and we'll be seeded.

1. Seeding in the CL.

Shakhtar and Salzburg can no longer win their league, so neither will be in the Champions route of qualifying.

Olympiakos are also guaranteed a league phase place, as both CL finalists have already qualified for the CL via their league.

5. So still hanging in the balance.

Remember that even if the teams above all win their league most will still need to win a qualifier to be in the playoff draw.

Haven't mentioned Olympiakos as it's almost certain they won't need to qualify.

4. Hungary. Ferencvaros won to maintain a 3pt lead with 4 to play. They play 2nd place Puskas Academy next week.

Croatia. Dinamo Zagreb remain 3rd, but beat leaders Rijeka today to pull themselves back to within 1pt of top. They play 2nd place Hadjuk Split, who lost today, next week.

3. Unfortunately Sturm Graz missed the chance to go 7 ahead of them, losing to new leaders Austria Vienna.

Salzburg next two games are against Graz and AV.

Denmark. Copenhagen and Midtjylland both won, so no change. Copenhagen lead by 1pt with 4 to play. They play in a couple of weeks.

2. Ukraine. Shakhtar are still in 3rd place. They threw away a 2 goal lead against leaders Dynamo Kyiv and are 10pts back with 4 to play. Very unlikely they'll be in the CL.

Austria. Salzburg lost again and dropped to 4th. They're 4pts back with 4 to play.

1. Update on seeding for the CL playoff.

Reminder. If any 5 of Bodo/Glimt, Red Star Belgrade, Shakhtar, Salzburg, Ferencvaros, Copenhagen or Dinamo Zagreb are in the draw for the playoff we'll be unseeded.

Both Bodo & Red Star have won their league. If Bodo win the EL they won't have to qualify.

Absolutely not. There's no mechanism for it. They would probably move up a round, and start in QR3 rather than QR2. But they would continue in the non-champions path.

Atalanta won the EL last year and qualified for the CL via the league. No one changed path as a result.

In Croatia, Dinamo Zagreb lost. But so to did the two teams above them. 4pts back with 5 to play.

In Austria, Salzburg drew. But they pulled a point back on leaders Sturm Graz, who themselves lost to Austria Vienna. Despite moving to within 4pts of 1st, Salzburg dropped to third behind A. Vienna.

Rangers can't play in the Champions path.

If Bilbao both win the EL & qualify for the CL via the league it means the team in CL qualifying with the highest coefficient will get an automatic CL place. But Rangers can't get that.

It would probably mean Rangers starting in QR3, not QR2, though.