Celtic see clearer Champions League play-off picture as five projected rivals revealed
The Hoops are just two games away from securing a £40million ticket to the revamped league phase for the fourth consecutive year.
Brendan Rodgers' side already know they'll be seeded, meaning they'll avoid the likes of Bodo/Glimt, FC Copenhagen, Red Star Belgrade and Ferencvaros.
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But the Parkhead giants will still be wary of some tricky potential opponents with proven European pedigree.
Two of the five unseeded teams have already been confirmed, with three slots still up for grabs before the draw is made on Monday, August 4.
Respected outlet Football Rankings have done the maths with their projected seedings ahead of the play-off showdown.
Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel)
This is a draw Celtic's PR machine could do without. The Hoops fanbase's unflinching support for Palestine has gone global in recent years. And in previous Champions League clashes, the Green Brigade have defied orders from their own board and UEFA by transforming Parkhead into a sea of Palestine flags in a show of solidarity with the people of Gaza, who are suffering genocide at the hands of Israel. This would be a fixture that goes far beyond football.
As it stands, Maccabi are tied 1-1 with Pafos FC ahead of Wednesday's second-round return leg in Israel. If, as expected, they go through, they'll likely face FC Dynamo Kyiv in the next round after the Ukrainians thumped Hamrun 3-0 away from home.
Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia)
Rodgers' men would head into this tie with no fear after demolishing the Slovakians 5-1 at Celtic Park last season.
Slovan are on course to sail through into the third round as they boast a 4-0 lead over Bosnian minnows Zrinjski. They'll take on the winners of KuPS Kuopio vs FC Kairat Almaty. Finnish side KuPS are 2-0 up ahead of this week's return leg in Kazakhstan.
Basel (Switzerland)
How does a reunion with Albian Ajeti sound? Like Celtic, the champions of Switzerland can put their feet up until the playoffs having avoided the previous qualifiers. It's a banana skin the Hoops would rather avoid and arguably the toughest team they could be paired with.
There's history between the pair too. Basel famously dumped Martin O'Neill's side out of the Champions League in 2002, the same season the Hoops went all the way to the UEFA Cup Final.
Sturm Graz (Austria)
They might not be a household name, but Sturm Graz are not to be underestimated. The Austrians stunned RB Salzburg to win the league last season and boast young Scotland cap Max Johnston in their ranks. Like Celtic and Basel, they're already safely through to the play-off round.
FCSB (Romania)
The Romanian champions slumped to a shock defeat away to Shkendija and are bidding to overturn a 1-0 deficit in Bucharest. If they do, a clash with Qarabag awaits — with the Azerbaijani outfit in cruise control after hammering Shelbourne 3-0 in Dublin.
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