SPFL has allow Celtic to postpone league fixture to focus on Champions League qualification

Celtic knows that if they win the league this season then the club will have to negotiate a Champions League group stage qualifier.

Brendan Rodgers has had immediate access to the Champions League group stages over the last two seasons down to Scotland’s high ranking coefficient, but next season, all that changes for Celtic.

Thankfully, though, the task to reach the lucrative group stage is not impossible as Celtic will go into the third-round qualifying stage for UEFA’s elite competition.

However, these fixtures have been notoriously difficult to negotiate in the past. But it seems that the SPFL are keen to see Celtic progress in the tournament after an announcement was released on their website this morning that will delight the Parkhead club but not their opponents.

SPFL to allow Celtic to postpone league fixture to focus on Champions League qualification

In a statement released on the SPFL’s official website, the league’s governing body is allowing teams participating in the third round qualification stage of any European competition to postpone one league fixture before the crucial match.

With Celtic already in the draw, this is good news for the club, but there is a caveat that could disappoint whichever opponent the Parkhead club is due to face before the qualification fixture.

The statement said: “The Competitions Working Group – which includes a number of top flight clubs – has now unanimously made a recommendation to the SPFL Board to introduce a policy allowing any club participating in a match in a UEFA Club Competition Play-Off round to apply to the SPFL for a postponement of its William Hill Premiership round 3 match without the consent of its opponent. To date, any such postponement would have required the agreement of the opposing club and the league.”

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