1. The 19/20 European tournaments start up again tomorrow. Here are some thoughts on why last season's tournaments still hold at least some relevance for Celtic, and what to look out for.

Warning. Contains UEFA gibberish.

2. Things to look out for #1 - Olympiakos & Basel.

Both teams are in the last 16 of the Europa League, and are the last threat to Scotland's top 15 ranking.

A reminder. Scotland ended 18/19 ranked 20th in Europe. We're currently in 14th place, a big jump with big consequences.

3. Benefits of being 14th

- A 5th team in Europe

- A 2nd CL place

- All teams start 2nd round or later

- Our champion is guaranteed a group place of some kind

- Our runner up and cup winner are guaranteed a group place of some kind by progressing just 1 round.

4. Another reminder. These benefits will be seen in the 21/22 season when UEFA introduces the new 3rd tournament.

In the new system a team who loses in CL qualifying will drop into the EL. If they then lose in EL qualifying they drop into the new Conference League tournament.

5. Back to Basel and Olympiakos. The chances of Scotland being overtaken are slim. Basel would need to reach the EL final, Olympiakos at least the SF.

One happening is possible. Both happening is probably on the longer side of long shots.

6. And this doesn't take into account any extra points Scotland might still get from Rangers (yeh I know). If Rangers knock out Leverkusen (yeh I know) then Switzerland could no longer overtake us. That would guarantee Scotland the top 15 spot.

7. Things to look out for #2 - Napoli and Lyon

Aka, "Who wins the Champions League?". As mentioned once or twice before, if Napoli or Lyon win the champions league they will take the title holder spot in Pot 1, and save themselves from a season in the Europa.

8. If anyone else win the CL, however, that team will have qualified for the CL group stage twice - once by winning the tournament, once via their league. This leaves an unused group spot, which will then be given to Ajax. Who will no longer have to qualify.

9. This has 2 effects. First, it would mean Young Boys become seeded in QR3, and Dinamo Zagreb in the PO. This means Celtic couldn't draw these teams in those rounds - if we get that far.

Second, it guarantees a team ranked lower than us makes the groups. More on this later.

10. Things to look out for #3 - Olympiakos again.

Back to the long shot about Olympiakos. Should they win the EL it would mean they get an automatic CL group place in Pot 1. The wouldn't have to qualify.

This would have the same 2 effects as mentioned above.

11. Firstly, it means more rebalancing to the CL qualifiers. If Ajax also skip qualifying it likely means Red Star (QR3) and Astana (PO) become seeds, removing them from the list of potential opponents.

Second, It guarantees another team ranked below us reaches the group stage.

12. Things to look out for #4 - Who wins the EL?

If not Olympiakos. As mentioned above, the EL winner also gets an automatic group spot in the CL. If the EL winner has already qualified for the CL groups via their league it will also leave an used group place.

13. This is because, again, they'll have qualified twice - once via the EL, once via their league.

In this scenario, the spare place will go to the 3rd place team in France - Stade Rennais. Why is this relevant to Celtic? Because they are ranked below us.

14. Things to look out for #5 - Inter Milan and Atalanta

Inter are in the L16 of the EL. Atalanta are in the CL QF. Both are currently ranked below Celtic by coefficient. We want them to stay that way.

Unfortunately, there isn't much room for error here.

15. Atalanta are only 1.5pts behind us. Unfortunately they'll get 1pt from the quarter final regardless. They'll only stay behind us if the lose to PSG before penalties in the CL QF. If it goes to penalties, they'll go above us - based on how UEFA will give points for 1 off ties.

16. Inter are 2pts behind us. But, again, we need them to lose to Getafe in the EL last 16 before penalties. Anything else will see them jump above us in the rankings. Even if they go out on penalties they'd still go above us.

17. Things to look out for #6 - Bringing it all together

Why is it important that teams are below us in the rankings? Because it determines what Pot we're in for the CL/EL group stage draw.

And because, if we're lucky enough to reach the CL groups we could be in Pot 3.

18. There are currently 7 teams already in the CL groups who are ranked below us - we would need 8 for Pot 3.

Unfortunately, only 4 of those are guaranteed to stay below us. As well as Inter and Atalanta, Basaksehir could also catch us. But they would need to win the EL.

19. Assuming they don't - and that that there will definitely be 5 ranked below us - to get Pot 3 we'd need 3 of the following to happen

- Inter lose to Getafe
- Atlanta lose to PSG
- Lyon/Napoli don't win the CL
- Shakhtar, Seville, Olympiakos or Man Utd win the EL

20. Any of these things happening would mean 1 more team ranked below us.

Failing that we could still see teams ranked above us knocked out of qualifying to give us that chance of Pot 3.

And, of course, none of this matters much if we don't qualify.

21. Well done if you've made it this far. I have a sore head now.

I am aware that we've failed miserably in qualifying for the CL recently. But there's no harm in looking ahead. And with that in mind, if we end up in the EL groups we'd likely be Pot 2 again.

/End