CELTIC came perilously close to squandering a three goal lead in the Champions League play-off last year before taking their place in the group stages.

And 12 months prior to that the two goal advantage which they took into the second leg at this stage of Europe’s premier club competition proved insufficient to see them through.

There is, then, no absolute guarantee they will once again secure a spot alongside continental superpowers like Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Real Madrid as a result of this remarkable and resounding 5-0 victory over Astana last night.

The memories of the Hapoel Be’er Sheva and Malmo games remain fresh in the minds of many of the Celtic players involved and they will be only too aware that a repeat performance will be required in Kazakhstan next Tuesday evening to complete the task.

Astana have an exceptional record at home in Europe – they are undefeated on the artificial surface of their own stadium in their last 14 outings – and should not be discounted despite the scoreline at the halfway stage.

Yet, this Brendan Rodgers side, as was underlined with this dominant and professional display, is a vastly superior outfit to their predecessors and it will be a massive upset if they fail to proceed for the second season running from here.

An own goal by Evgeni Postnikov after some exceptional play by Tom Rogic, a Scott Sinclair double, a James Forrest strike and a late Leigh Griffiths effort gave the Scottish champions a commanding lead which it is highly unlikely they will now relinquish.

The Glasgow club also kept a clean sheet, something they had been unable to do against Hapoel or Malmo, and it is almost inconceivable it will not be their name in the draw for the group stages in Nyon next Thursday as a result.

Nir Bitton retained his place at centre half despite the error he had made in the league game against Partick Thistle at Firhill on Friday night which could easily have cost Celtic victory.

Bitton found himself up against Junior Kabananga, the Congolese forward, and Patrick Twumasi, the Ghanaian striker, in defence. It was the sternest test he had faced in his new position.

The midfielder, though, headed a dangerous delivery by Marin Tomasov into his six yard box to safety in the fifth minute and performed with composure and intelligence against a formidable front line thereafter.

It was Jozo Simunovic, not Bitton, who was guilty of a mistake which almost cost his side a goal in the 22nd minute. He was careless with a pass out of defence and gifted Serikzhan Muzhikov the ball needlessly.

The Kazakhstan internationalist whipped a wicked low shot across the slick Parkhead turf at Craig Gordon. The Celtic keeper opponent did well to claim the ball.

The visitors, whose away record in Europe is as poor as their recent results at home have been excellent, certainly started well. Their four man midfield sat deep and they contained their rivals well.

An imposing physical unit, Astana showed early on they were not going to be bullied by Celtic. Evgeni Postnikov was rightly booked by Romanian referee Ovidiu Hategan after scything down Rogic.

But the Australian, given the nod to start ahead of Callum McGregor in his favoured position just off lone striker Griffiths, was unaffected by the foul. He tormented the Astana rearguard relentlessly with his trickery at every available opportunity and was eventually rewarded for his perseverance.

In the 32nd minute he shrugged off the close attentions of no fewer than three Astana defenders and dinked a right footed shot beyond keeper Aleksandr Mokin. It was going just wide until the outstretched leg of Postnikov turned it into his own net.

Sinclair netted his first of the evening three minutes before half-time when Serikzhan Muzhikov attempted to dispossess Rogic in the middle of the park and ended up inadvertently sending the winger through on his own goal. His finish was exquisite.

He added his second on the hour mark after some excellent officiating by Hategan, who allowed play to continue despite Yuri Logvinenko taking out Rogic with a dangerous aerial challenge, in the build-up.

The ball broke to Griffiths who fed Sinclair inside him. His team mate drilled the ball through Mokin’s legs to crank the celebrations inside the stadium up a level.

Rogic hobbled off as a result of the head injury he sustained in the clash with Logvinenko, who was booked after receiving medical treatment and was replaced by Callum McGregor.

James Forrest, who netted his side’s fourth from an acute angle in the 79th minute, also made way for Stuart Armstrong in the closing minutes.

Griffiths had not, despite setting up Sinclair for his second of the night, enjoyed his most influential evening, but he got his name on the scoresheet with little over two minutes of regulation time remaining nevertheless when his shot deflected past the Astana

This was another captivating, raucous, uplifting European occasion at Celtic Park. Every available seat was filled, the Green Brigade returned to the safe-standing section following their ban and unveiled an impressive banner and the familiar strains of Zadoc the Priest were drowned out by a deafening roar before kick-off.

There is still another 90 minutes of football to be played before their money-spinning place in the group stages is secure. But there promise to be a few more big Champions League games in the coming months.