Sport nationGary Lineker and Alan Shearer Share Thoughts on Celtic’s Champions League Chances
Away from domestic duty for a bit, the conversation has shifted to Celtic’s chances in the Champions League. With three games left in the competition, Celtic have put themselves in the driving seat to qualify from the league phase after the Bhoys drew with Club Brugge midweek.
Celtic now sit 20th in the UEFA Champions League, just one point from the seeded play-off places and two from the automatic qualification places. And here, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer share exactly what they think of Brendan Rodgers’ chances of qualification after Celtic earned a point against Club Brugge.
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer Believe Celtic Can Qualify from the Champions League
Lineker told The Rest is Football [35m], “Before we call it a day, a line certainly on Celtic, they came back, they’re above Real Madrid.
“I bet you never thought we’d say that after five games. 20th. I think there’ll be a lot of big clubs in that chunk between nine and 24.
“But Celtic could be one of those. I think they’ve got a chance. I think it’s again, that they would have hoped to win home to Brugge. But did you see the own goal, Celtic? Oh, my goodness, Carter-Vickers.
“That is one of those where he just rolled it back, ‘Oh, where’s the keeper gone? Oh, dear’. We talked about playing out from the back, didn’t we? But that was playing back from the back.”
Shearer added, “Yeah, he wouldn’t want to see that again. It was a horrible mistake. But they did well coming back and getting a point out of it.
“And this is where this format, I think, will help Celtic because I think they are more than capable of getting in that gap and having that playoff.
“And I think it will be tough for anyone to go to Celtic with that atmosphere.”
Gary Lineker Predicts Celtic’s ‘Winnable’ Games in Their Last Three Champions League Matches
Lineker continued, “The next game is the Dinamo Zagreb away. Tough, but winnable. They’ve got Young Boys, the seventh game, which is certainly winnable, and then finish at Villa.
“We’ve said it a few times now, but this is a much, much better format than the group stays previously in the Champions League.
“Every game matters. Every single game, and I think that will be the case right to the end.”
Celtic, barring the Borussia Dortmund result, have performed admirably in the Champions League with wins against Slovan Bratislava and RB Leipzig. Draws against Atalanta and Club Brugge have bolstered those victories, and, as Lineker states, the matches against Young Boys and Dinamo Zagreb are very winnable.
If Celtic takes six points from those two games and gets something at Villa Park, it’s not just the seeded play-off places that will be in the sights of Rodgers, the Hoops could, unbelievably, earn automatic qualification into the last 16.
The Implications for Celtic
The implications for Celtic are clear. The team has put themselves in the driving seat to qualify from the league phase, and their chances of qualification are looking good.
The team’s performance against Club Brugge was impressive, and it highlights the strength of the squad. Celtic’s manager, Brendan Rodgers, has done an excellent job in building a team that can compete on multiple fronts.
The Implications for Brendan Rodgers
The implications for Brendan Rodgers are clear. The manager has done an excellent job in building a team that can compete on multiple fronts, and he will be looking to continue this success in the Champions League.
Rodgers will be looking to take advantage of the winnable games against Young Boys and Dinamo Zagreb, and he will be hoping to get something at Villa Park. If Celtic can take six points from those two games and get something at Villa Park, it’s not just the seeded play-off places that will be in the sights of Rodgers, the Hoops could, unbelievably, earn automatic qualification into the last 16.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer believe Celtic can qualify from the Champions League. The team has put themselves in the driving seat to qualify from the league phase, and their chances of qualification are looking good.
The implications for Celtic are clear. The team has put themselves in the driving seat to qualify from the league phase, and their chances of qualification are looking good.
The implications for Brendan Rodgers are clear. The manager has done an excellent job in building a team that can compete on multiple fronts, and he will be looking to continue this success in the Champions League.
Sport nation
Amina Umar
