Celtic have dodged some of Europe’s heavyweights in Thursday’s Champions League draw, setting up an intriguing group stage.
Thousands of Hoops fans are expected to make the pilgrimage to Germany, where they’ll finally get to experience the famed Westfalenstadion, home to Borussia Dortmund. The opportunity to witness the iconic Yellow Wall, with its 25,000 passionate Dortmund supporters, will be a highlight for many.
Brendan Rodgers’ men also have a tantalising Battle of Britain clash on the horizon against John McGinn’s Aston Villa, alongside challenging away fixtures against Europa League champions Atalanta and Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb.
As for the home ties, the draw has been relatively kind to the Scottish champions. Celtic Park will host RB Leipzig, Club Brugge, Young Boys, and Slovan Bratislava, offering fans a chance to see some of Europe’s established and emerging talents.
UEFA has now confirmed the dates and kick-off times for all eight group stage matches, which are as follows:
Celtic Champions League fixtures in full:
- Matchday 1: 18 September 2024 – Slovan Bratislava (H)
- Matchday 2: 1 October 2024 – Dortmund (A)
- Matchday 3: 23 October 2024 – Atalanta (A)
- Matchday 4: 5 November 2024 – RB Leipzig (H)
- Matchday 5: 27 November 2024 – Club Brugge (H)
- Matchday 6: 10 December 2024 – Dinamo Zagreb (A)
- Matchday 7: 22 January 2025 – Young Boys (H)
- Matchday 8: 29 January 2025 – Aston Villa (A)
With such a mix of opponents, Celtic fans can look forward to an exciting and challenging European campaign, as they aim to make their mark on the continent.