Two Hearts matches set to be impacted by Celtic's nightmare Champions League exit
The shock result in Kazakhstan means there could be up to eight domestic fixtures changed for The Hoops
After Celtic’s shock defeat to Kairat Almaty on penalties last night, Brendan Rodgers’ side will have to settle for Europa League football this season. Almaty, who are 311th in the UEFA club coefficient rankings, managed to hold The Hoops to a goalless draw in both legs.
Celtic fans may have thought they’d won it when Daizen Maeda went through on goal with only five minutes to go, however the winger blazed the ball over the bar. Things went from bad to worse for the Japanese talisman, as it was he who missed the decisive penalty to send Almaty through.
As Celtic gear up for Europa League football for the first time in three years, there could be up to eight rescheduled fixtures in the Scottish Premiership. The result could directly affect Hearts, who are set to play The Celts twice after European matchdays.
Celtic’s Champions League exit to impact two Jambos fixtures
Hearts were pencilled in to play Celtic on Saturday, October 25th and Saturday, January 24th at Tynecastle however this is likely to change due to the Hoops’ Champions League exit. As the Glasgow side will now be playing their European matches on Thursday nights, rather than Tuesdays and Wednesdays, their domestic fixtures will be changed to Sunday afternoons, instead of Saturdays.
This means that Jambos fans will now be welcoming their Glasgow rivals on Sunday, October 26th and Sunday, January 25th. Hearts are also set to travel to Celtic Park on December 6th, but this fixture will be unaffected as there is no European game that week.
Hearts aren’t the only team affected by the result in Kazakhstan, as Hibs, Motherwell and Falkirk will also have fixtures against Celtic rescheduled. The Hibees are set to play Celtic after their first European match on September 27th, however this fixture may be unaffected as the Europa League game could be changed to the Wednesday.
Curse for Scottish clubs in Europe continues
Celtic lost £20m in their penalty shootout against the Kazakhstani minnows, however they’re not the only Scottish team to have bowed out of a European competition so far. Barring a miracle, their Glasgow rivals Rangers will also have to settle for Europa League football next season, as they head to Brugge tonight two goals down, after being 3-0 down in 20 minutes at Ibrox.
Hibernian stumbled at the first hurdle in terms of their Europa League hopes, as the Leith side held Danish side FC Midtjylland to a draw over two legs, only to be undone by a 120th minute overhead kick. David Gray’s men now travel to Warsaw, where they are goal down to Legia in the Conference League play-off.
It was penalty heartache for Dundee United as well, as The Arabs drew 2-2 with Rapid Vienna in both legs. The Austrian Giants were lethal from the spot, meaning there’ll no Europa Conference league football on Tayside this year.
Perhaps Hearts have benefitted from not being involved from the doom and gloom of European football, as Derek McInnes’ side are yet to be beaten in the league so far.