Joe Ledley targets Champions League group stages for Celtic

Published on 10/07/2012 13:53

CELTIC midfielder Joe Ledley believes reaching the group stages of the Champions League would be a huge achievement for the club.

• Celtic midfielder aiming for Champions League progress

• Joe Ledley is not following Rangers newco developments

Ledley, 25, has been a mainstay of the Celtic side since his move from Cardiff two years ago and the Wales international has targeted progression in Europe this season.

He also maintained it would have still been a priority if Old Firm rivals Rangers had been accepted into the Clydesdale Bank Premier League in their ‘newco’ form.

“Qualifying for the Champions League is massive. It would still have been like that even if Rangers were still in the league,” he said.

“As players, you just want to get to that stage. It’s a fantastic tournament - one of the best if not the best in the world.

“That’s our aim this season and hopefully we can achieve it.

“We gained a lot from the Europa League last season. We enjoyed it even though we had an extremely difficult group.”

Celtic were one of several Scottish Premier League clubs to vote against newco Rangers’ application to the top flight but Ledley revealed he did not keep abreast of the ongoing situation during his summer holiday.

“I didn’t follow the events...I didn’t really know much about it as I was away. I still don’t know all that much about what happened,” he said.

“We concentrate on our club and everyone knows that if you break the rules you are going to have to face the consequences.”