Celtic Champions League qualifying opponents profiled as UEFA confirm six potential rivals

UEFA have confirmed the six potential opponents for Celtic ahead of this week’s Champions League first qualifying round draw.

Hoops fans are eagerly awaiting Tuesday’s draw in Nyon as Brendan Rodgers and his players prepare for another gruelling summer qualifying campaign.

Rodgers’ side have been seeded in pot 3 alongside old foes Astana (KAZ), and Hapoel Beer-Sheva (ISR) as well as Crvena zvezda (SRB), Kukës (ALB), Zrinjski (BIH) meaning they cannot meet those teams at this stage.

That leaves the following six sides as potential opponents when the qualifying campaign gets underway next month.

(Image: Getty)

Spartak Trnava (Slovakia)

Slovakian side will bring back horror memories for St Johnstone fans after they cruelly dumped the Perth men out of the Europa League qualifiers at the third stage four years ago. Saints lose out 3-2 on aggregate, losing 2-1 in Scotland, which will serve as a warning should Celtic draw Trnava. Spartak won the Fortuna Liga by five points from Slovan Bratislava last season and are managed by former Czech international midfielder Radoslav Látal.

Valletta (Malta)

Maltese champions are perpetual early exiters in European competition but did make it to the second qualifying round of the Europa League last season after beating San Marino minnow Folgore. Valletta won the Maltese Premier League by three points last season and are managed by Danilo Dončić.

Alashkert (Armenia)

Poor old St Johnstone – here’s another side who have recently ended their European hopes being dredged up as a potential opponent for Celtic. The Armenian side dumped Tommy Wright’s saints on away goals three years ago and could now be set for another trip to Scotland in the Champions League . Alashkert won the Armenian Premier League by six points last season and are managed by ex-Armenia national boss Varuzhan Sukiasyan.

Sutjeska (Montenegro)

It’s a first foray into the Champions League for three years for the Montenegrin champions and they are still waiting for a first ever victory at this level.

Sutjeska Nikšić romped to the title by 22 points last season and are managed by experienced boss Nikola Rakojević.

Spartaks Jūrmala (LVA)

Latvian champions have only three years of Euro experience to their name following their formation in 2007. And they’ve only ever won once in European competition – that being a Europa League qualifying victory over Buducnost Podgoria in 2015.

Spartaks won the Virsliga by nine points last season and are managed by former CSKA Moscow star Aleksandr Grishin.

Flora Tallinn (EST)

FC Flora are veterans of the early stages of European competition but have never made it past the qualifying round.

The Estonian side won their Meistriliiga by six points last season and are managed by Jürgen Henn.