After four rounds of matches, Celtic have climbed to 15th in the newly restructured Champions League table following their vital 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig at a buzzing Celtic Park on Tuesday evening.
Brendan Rodgers’ side has risen six spots thanks to that crucial win, and they now find themselves in a strong position. With just one more win needed to qualify for the knockout play-off stages, Celtic’s path to further success is clear. Optimistically, securing three more wins—against Club Brugge, Dinamo Zagreb, BSC Young Boys, or Aston Villa—would guarantee a top-eight finish and a place in the last 16, a remarkable achievement that should not be ruled out.
For Leipzig, currently second in the Bundesliga, their prospects look bleak. With zero points from four matches and a tough trip to the San Siro to face Inter Milan ahead, the German side’s chances of qualification are slim. However, Leipzig could feel hard done by, given their difficult fixture list despite being a pot 1 team.
In a surprising twist, three teams from pot 4 are currently occupying top-eight spots. AS Monaco sit third with 10 points, while Ligue 1 rivals Brest are in fourth, just behind them. Aston Villa, Celtic’s final opponents in the new format, are narrowly in eighth with nine points.
Looking ahead, Celtic’s focus now shifts to Belgian champions Club Brugge, who made history in matchday 4 by defeating Aston Villa 1-0, becoming the first Brugge team to beat a British club since 1994. They will be tough opponents. Meanwhile, Dinamo Zagreb, who suffered a heavy defeat to Bayern Munich in their opening match, have bounced back strongly, sitting just below Celtic in 16th after a 4-1 win over Slovan Bratislava.
The new format has been a positive for Celtic, who are now aiming to build on their strong start. This is the first time since the 2007/2008 season that Celtic have won their opening two home matches in the Champions League. A realistic target for the team should be to continue their impressive form with four consecutive home victories.
The upcoming clash with Club Brugge, scheduled after the international break, is set to be one of Celtic’s most significant European fixtures in years. A win would see them progress beyond the “group stage” or “league phase” for the first time since the 2012/2013 season, opening the door to potentially double-digit appearances in Europe’s top competition. It’s a monumental occasion, and the magnitude of the match cannot be overstated.
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