The Celtic Champions League pots all but confirmed as Rangers fate takes shape if they repeat PSV history

The pots are officially in for the 2023/24 Champions League group stage! Well, almost...

The draw for the group stage takes place on Thursday and with only three playoff ties left to be settled, we have a clear picture shaping up of how the competition will look. Premiership champions Celtic qualify for the groups outright for the second year running but once again go into Pot 4, meaning a tough group could lie in wait for Brendan Rodgers and his team.

There are three variables left to be decided, one of which is Rangers' marquee showdown with PSV which takes place on Wednesday night. Michael Beale takes his team to the Netherlands with the tie finely poised after a 2-2 draw at Ibrox and is hoping to lead his side all the way to the group stage. The winner of that tie will be awarded Pot 3 status due to their respective coefficients.

That would leave Newcastle, Arsenal and both Manchester clubs among their potential opponents with the chances of a Battle of Britain in at least one of the groups heightened.

There are three playoffs left to play but only one of them can have any effect on the pots at this late stage. The winner of PSV vs Rangers will go into Pot 3 while AEK Athens or Antwerp, regardless of their result, go into Pot 4. Copenhagen, should they finish the job against Rakow, would join Gers in Pot 3 - but if the Polish side come back then they would enter Pot 4, with Young Boys bumped up as the best seed in their section.

Pot 1: Man City, Sevilla, Barcelona, Napoli, Bayern Munich, PSG, Benfica, Feyenoord

Pot 2: Real Madrid, Man United, Inter, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, RB Leipzig, Porto, Arsenal

Pot 3: Shakhtar Donetsk, Salzburg, Rangers/PSV, AC Milan, Braga, Lazio, Red Star Belgrade, Copenhagen