Graeme Souness: Celtic are weak, and Champions League will prove this

Graeme Souness insists a lack of challenge from Rangers has made Celtic weaker, and this will be proved when Brendan Rodgers' side enter the Champions League group stages.

Graeme Souness believes Celtic's weakness will be exposed at the Champions League level. Picture: Neil Doig

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Rather than the club’s 52-match unbeaten domestic run being a sign of their strength, the ex-Rangers manager believes they are weaker without another team to really push them on the domestic front.

Celtic will learn which teams they’ll face in the Champions League draw later today, with a £30million windfall awaiting the Hoops for their participation in the group stages.

Souness, though, insists Celtic will be unable to realise their full potential until Rangers are back challenging for the Ladbrokes Premiership title.

He said on Talksport: “If you’re a Celtic supporter it damages them as well. If there is a real challenge from Rangers, do Celtic sell their best players? No they don’t.

“If you’re a Celtic supporter, are you seeing the same quality on the pitch as you would if Rangers were strong? No you’re not. You’re team is weaker and that will be proved in Europe.

“That is the reality, they don’t need to keep their best players because they can beat Rangers and everyone else without them - the likes of Victor Wanyama and Virgil van Dijk.”