Brendan Rodgers is 90 minutes from banishing 23-year Celtic hoodoo as cult hero predicts new Champions League era

Celtic fans were hoping for the best but braced for the worst. It was perhaps just as well no one had a clue what was going on at the revamped Champions League draw.

But when Cristiano Ronaldo pressed the big AI button and UEFA’s Skynet super computer produced the fixtures, Hoops fans were pleasantly surprised. Optimistic even. There was another one on the way when Parkhead chiefs announced the fairly reasonably packages for the four home games, and fans discovered they wouldn’t need to pawn off the family jewels to get in after all.

It all fuelled the belief this could finally be the season when Celtic do something in Europe’s top competition. Sure, Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta and Aston Villa are tough trips, while Dinamo Zagreb before Christmas won’t be a canter. But they might be free punches when Celtic consider who they need to to handle at home.

Slovan Bratislava are up first next week, but then it’s Club Brugge, Young Boys Bern and RB Leipzig who will head to Glasgow. It could have been worse. Much worse. The likes of PSG, Man City, Arsenal, Real Madrid and all the other big boys could easily have been sent to Scotland. And that is why Hoops fans have snapped up the tickets and expectation levels are soaring. Yet, perhaps some punters should hold their horses. This is the Champions League – a gaff that might have a golden driveway but it can be a house of pain once you’re in.

Bratislava looks the perfect chance to get off to a flier – but Celts will need to do something they’ve never done before. Win an opening match in the Champions League. In 12 campaigns, the Hoops have yet to kick off with a victory, with 10 of them defeats. Even one of the draws – at home to Aalborg – was the kind of result that left Celts