This is about Celtic's own anthem after Champions League became no place for Bhoys - or Rangers

This week marks not just a new era for the Champions League. It is a new era for Celtic. A clean slate.

The competition's new format hasn’t been greeted with universal approval. Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has protested that nobody asks the players, who are already coping with more games than ever. Manchester City’s Rodri has voiced similar concerns.

But Celtic ought to find favour with the revamp. The more games the better. They have every chance of getting off on the right foot on Wednesday evening against Slovakian champions Slovan Bratislava while creating some more history in the process.

Celtic are praying for some stimulus to reawaken a love affair with Europe’s premier trophy. As much as anything, it was becoming abundantly clear the old Champions League set-up was becoming increasingly inhospitable for Scottish teams. It was no place for Bhoys.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers. | SNS Group

Rangers, meanwhile, found it beyond challenging three years ago as they posted up a worst-ever group stage performance.

As for Brendan Rodgers, few challenges have been beyond him at Celtic but he’s plainly struggled to master Europe. It will have niggled him. Possibly it’s one of the main reasons why he wanted to come back. Unfinished business and all that.  “Judge me however you want to judge me,” he said on Tuesday. “Believe it or not, I have won big games before.” It was a reminder of the self-confidence displayed two summers ago, when he told doubters to meet him “back here in May”. He does tend to back up such cocksure statements.

The fans were divided back then of course. Some were happy he was back, many were not. Even the supportive ones seemed reluctant to make themselves known. Just a few hundred attended his second unveiling.

It’s fair to say he’s won most of the others around. Last season's double helped. Even this season he's continued racking up feats. Five clean sheets in the opening five league matches of the season? Not been done since 1906.

Now for his next trick. How about something that’s not been done ever before? Celtic winning their opening Champions League group match for the first-ever time would be another feather in Rodgers’ cap. Of course, he won’t want to stop there. 

Celtic's Alistair Johnston during a Celtic training session at the Lennoxtown. | SNS Group

He has talked about a play-off position, for which Celtic would have to finish between ninth and 24th in the new one-league format. It feels eminently possible.

Some have noted that real achievement in Europe is all that’s missing from Rodgers' Celtic CV. He qualified for two Champions League group stages in his first spell, which can be far from straightforward in itself. Celtic were then drawn in undeniably tricky groups – they faced Manchester City and Barcelona in his first season and then Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich in the following campaign. They failed to qualify in Rodgers' third - and seemingly final - season. 

Even the popular Ange Postecoglou did not provide the silver bullet at this level. When, in the Australian’s first season, Celtic were dumped out of the competition at the second qualifying stage by Danish club Midtjylland, one observer noted that they looked as far away as ever from looking like a competitive Champions League group stage side.

Of course, such an observation is now dated. The group stage is no longer a thing, swept away on a desire for more games, more revenue and, well, time will tell whether more entertainment.

Rodgers was at pains to point out on Tuesday that Celtic, while winning only four points, were not completely cut adrift in the group last season. “Apart from the game away, in Madrid (v Atletico) when we lost a man early on, we got punished by a team that reached the quarter finals. They made real good use of playing against ten men. I thought the other games we showed up well in.” He stressed they could have won the game against Lazio or at least they should never have lost it. “So that’s a learning,” he added.

Celtic were defeated by Atletico Madrid last year. | SNS Group

Celtic won 50 per of their six games in their first Champions League group campaign, under Martin O’Neill in 2001-02. They won their three home games and lost the three away games. Even that wasn’t good enough to reach the knockout round.

Rodgers’ last two non-qualifying opening matches in the Champions League have been traumatic to say the least. A 0-7 v Barcelona and a 0-5 v Paris Saint-Germain. So to point out that opportunity knocks on Wednesday evening is an understatement.

It represents the most winnable game at this level across Rodgers’ two spells in charge. Slovan Bratislava might be the champions of Slovakia but they are novices at this level. For all Celtic’s own struggles, they are at least aware of what’s involved at such a rarefied level. Readiness is all. Rodgers has already noted that is all well prepared as he has ever felt ahead of a Champions League campaign.

He has options. He even has headaches. Paulo Bernardo or record signing Arne Engels? One might have opted for the former before Arne Engels slipped effortlessly into the starting XI in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Hearts, scoring the opener from the spot to win man of the match. It was assumed that Bernardo might be being rested for this midweek. But it seems perverse not to start with Engels when he’s clearly been bought to make a difference at this rarefied level.  

Arne Engels could make his Champions League Celtic bow. | SNS Group

Perhaps the most sensible thing to do is try and take the emotion out of the occasion. Aim to blank out the re-worked Champions League theme tune.  It has been updated to include more focus on the lyrics, provoking predictable outrage.

It doesn’t really matter what they play before matches on Champions League nights at Celtic. It is about Celtic’s own anthem. They really will walk out with hope in their heart. Indeed, for the first time in a long time, they are heavy favourites to win a non-qualifying Champions League match. 

Remarkably in view of what’s gone before, it will be surprising – and crushingly disappointing -  if they cannot secure all three points.