Florian Wirtz Liverpool FC klatscht mit Hugo Ekitike Liverpool FC nach dem Tor ab - Frankfurt 22.10.2025: Eintracht Frankfurt vs. FC Liverpool, Deutsche Bank Park, UEFA Champions League *** Florian Wirtz Liverpool FC claps with Hugo Ekitike Liverpool FC after the goal Frankfurt 22 10 2025 Eintracht Frankfurt vs Liverpool FC, Deutsche Bank Park, UEFA Champions League
Celtic’s potential Champions League playoff opponents are coming into focus ahead of Monday’s draw in Nyon, with the £40 million jackpot firmly at stake.
Martin O’Neill’s men avoided the earlier qualifying rounds entirely after their dramatic last-day title win, entering directly at the playoff stage as seeds.
The draw on Monday will determine who stands between Celtic and a place in the Champions League group stage proper.
Kairat Almaty delivered a painful lesson last season, eliminating Brendan Rodgers’ side via a penalty shootout that condemned Celtic to the Europa League.
Fans were furious at what many perceived as a lack of preparation and quality signings heading into that tie against the Kazakh outfit.
The rematch Celtic will be desperate to avoid remains entirely possible, with Kairat Almaty still in contention depending on Wednesday’s results.
Viking Stavanger, who lifted the Eliteserien title for the first time in 34 years last season, are already confirmed as one potential opponent from the unseeded pot.
The Norwegian side are 14 games into their current season and sit second, just one point behind Bodo/Glimt, meaning Celtic could face a sharp, match-fit opponent.
LASK Linz, managed by experienced boss Dietmar Kuhbauer, won the Austrian Bundesliga by two points from Sturm Graz and also claimed the Austrian Cup last season.
Kuhbauer has since added former St Mirren defender Miguel Freckleton to his squad, and LASK are considered an evenly-matched but winnable proposition for Celtic on paper.
AEK Athens represent arguably the toughest unseeded draw Celtic could receive, with ex-Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic capable of posing a serious threat.
The Greek champions hit Aberdeen for six last season and have former Livingston and Hearts defender James Penrice in their ranks, a player Celtic reportedly enquired about this window.
Either NK Celje or Aarat-Armenia will also be in the draw, with the Slovenian and Armenian sides meeting in the third qualifying round before one progresses to face a potential Celtic pairing.
Celje reached this stage by beating Albanian side Egnatia on penalties, while Aarat-Armenia edged past League of Ireland club Shamrock Rovers in Dublin to advance.
Celtic go into Monday’s draw as seeds, but the memory of Kairat Almaty serves as a sharp reminder that nothing in European football can ever be taken for granted.
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