After the 2023/24 campaign ended for Celtic over the weekend, attention now turns to the upcoming 2024/25 season.
Every year, maintaining domestic dominance is of utmost importance for the Hoops but it is difficult to get away from the glamour of Europe.
In years gone by, the Bhoys were a force on the continent, putting several giants to the sword at Parkhead.
Recently, however, things have not been as rosy for the Scottish champions and they have failed to win a knockout tie in Europe since 2004 when Barcelona were beaten 1-0 in the UEFA Cup.
The newly revamped Champions League, though, provides Celtic with the chance to finally make a mark in Europe.
They will play eight games (four home and four away) against eight different teams in the initial league phase, for which they will discover their opponents on Thursday, August 29th.
The first round of league phase matches will span across a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday with the remainder being played either on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
The dates for the eight league phase matchdays are as follows:
Matchday 1: 17–19 September 2024
Matchday 2: 1/2 October 2024
Matchday 3: 22/23 October 2024
Matchday 4: 5/6 November 2024
Matchday 5: 26/27 November 2024
Matchday 6: 10/11 December 2024
Matchday 7: 21/22 January 2025
Matchday 8: 29 January 2025
Should the Hoops prosper in these games and finish in the top 24 of a 36-team league table, they will get into the next round of the Champions League.
Teams in 1st to 8th go straight into the hat for the last 16 draw while those who end up 8th-24th will compete in two-legged play-offs to get into said stage.
The exciting new revamp looks as though it will benefit Celtic both financially and on the pitch.
It will be intriguing to see what Brendan Rodgers and the team can conjure up next season in Europe as they aim to build upon another campaign of domestic dominance.
