For Celtic, the new Champions League is a complex puzzle where “… every piece counts.”
Last night, when Aston Villa scored their second goal in the first half against Young Boys in the Champions League, I got an email with a question: Is that a good or bad result for us in our group?
It’s a fair question, yet a bit unusual, as we’re no longer dealing with a typical Champions League setup. This new format is bound to leave fans scratching their heads, and while that result might seem crucial, the actual impact on Celtic is more subtle than it appears.
The person who emailed me sees Young Boys and Villa and thinks, “This must affect us since we’re facing both teams.” But it’s not that straightforward anymore. And yet, oddly enough, it is that straightforward. Welcome to the bizarre new reality of the Champions League, where everything—and nothing—seems to matter all at once.
First, let me clarify why that result doesn’t impact us directly, even though it might seem like it should. In previous years, we’d be in a standard group where each match directly affected our standings. Now, however, we’re part of a larger pool with every team that qualified for the competition. The scoreline in Villa vs. Young Boys isn’t as crucial as it once would have been. Yes, one team takes three points while the other gets none, but we’re no longer in a closed group with them.
This new format is tricky to get your head around. We’ll face both Villa and Young Boys later, but their match result doesn’t carry the immediate impact on us that traditional group games once did. Meanwhile, Juventus was playing PSV at the same time as Villa’s game, also two goals up at halftime—and that result impacts us in just the same way. It all feels strangely disconnected and interconnected at once.
Having spent hours on Football Manager, I’ve already war-gamed this scenario, so I have a slight edge in understanding it. This league table is going to look chaotic most of the time, with real clarity not arriving until the final matches. It’ll bring more excitement, sure, but it’s bound to frustrate fans used to a simpler format.
The person who emailed me probably saw Villa vs. Young Boys as a mini-league result that should impact us. Since we play both, their outcome should matter, right? But the truth is, the only results that truly count for us are our own.
Every point is now more crucial than ever, impacting not just our immediate opponents but the overall standings. That shift in perspective will take some getting used to.
Last night’s game did reveal some insights: Young Boys look vulnerable at the back, and Villa will be tough to contain, especially at home. These details matter, as there are no throwaway games in this setup. Gathering every bit of intel on our potential opponents is essential.
Each match result can shift the standings, with any team capable of overtaking us. That’s why tracking all the games, even those not directly involving us, is now essential.
Ultimately, the result that counts most is the one at Celtic Park tonight. We’ll need a fresh approach for this new Champions League format, but the basics haven’t changed: we need to put points on the board as fast and as often as possible.
There will be plenty of debate about our target, but I still think 15 points is within reach. Hitting that mark would give us a genuine chance.
This Champions League season promises to be long and unpredictable, but we have what it takes to navigate it. Our focus should be on winning our matches, taking control of our own path, and letting the other results fall as they will.
Source: https://thecelticblog.com/2024/09/articles-and-features/for-celtic-this-new-champions-league-is-a-puzzle-and-all-the-pieces-matter/