Celtic drop 16 places in UEFA's club rankings

Celtic have dropped 16 places in UEFA's club rankings despite reaching the group stages of last season's Champions League.

Moussa Dembele nets a spectaculr overhead kick against Manchester City. Picture: OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images

The rankings are devised over five seasons, the last of which was 2013/2014, meaning Celtic lost the 16.680 coefficient points won when they reached the last-16 of the Champions League before exiting to Juventus. It shows how lucrative qualifying from the group stages are in terms of points; Brendan Rodgers’ side earned 7.875 for making it through three qualifying rounds before drawing three group stages matches.

If Celtic were to reach the group stages again this season it should see them make positive steps in next season’s rankings.

The figures released by UEFA show a mixed bag for Scottish club as Hearts dropped 52 places, Motherwell 37, Inverness Caledonian Thistle one place, while Dundee United dropping out the rankings altogether

There was better news for Hibs who rose six places, thanks to a fantastic win in Brondby, St Johnstone moved from 215th to 211th, while Aberdeen climbed 14 places into the top 200.

Rangers reentered the rankings following their third-place finish last season. They sit in 306th place, between Albanians FK Partizani and Armenians FC Pyunik