For many Celtic fans, there are very few positives that they can take from the second qualifying round defeat to Ferencvaros.
While supporters of the Scottish champions bemoaned team selection and the defensive frailties on display, many Scottish football fans also criticised the performance in terms of what it meant for the future prospect of Scottish clubs qualifying to the top table of Europe - with a defeat being seen as damaging to the coefficient.
However, Scotland’s coefficient was not damaged by Celtic’s defeat at all last night, perhaps providing a small grain of comfort to many - and here’s why.
READ MORE: The remarkable coefficient stat that no one is talking about
While Celtic did not manage to qualify for the 3rd round of the Champions League, their exit did see them drop into the Europa League 3rd round. Although they were defeated on the night, the ‘parachute’ of dropping in saw them amass the .250 coefficient points they would have otherwise obtained had they defeated their Hungarian opposition.
Regardless of the result, Celtic were always going to pick up .250 points for the Scottish total.
That does not necessarily provide much comfort to any Celtic fan, but it does not mean the end for their European ambitions or indeed the continuing growth of Scottish coefficient.
This was quickly picked up and joked about by the Twitter account of UEFA Calculator, a social account that keeps fans up to date on the ranking of nations in the UEFA coefficient.
Here is the updated coefficient. And hey Celtic fans - don't look at it as failing to qualify for UCL 3rd qualifying round. Look at it as successfully qualifying for UEL 3rd qualifying round! I hear Thursday nights in Moldova are beautiful. pic.twitter.com/FQkWscThI9
— UEFA Calculator (@UEFACalculator) August 26, 2020
The account run by a Tottenham fan joked: “Hey Celtic fans - don't look at it as failing to qualify for UCL 3rd qualifying round. Look at it as successfully qualifying for UEL 3rd qualifying round! I hear Thursday nights in Moldova are beautiful.”
In terms of European qualifiers, the same amount of coefficient points are available in both the Europa League and the Champions League and if Celtic do make the group stages of the Europa League, the bonus for making the UCL groups is equivalent to 2 wins in the Europa League group stages.
However, qualifying for the Europa League maybe even more difficult for Celtic this season when they enter the third qualifying stage. The Hoops will either get a bye to the playoffs, which 2 of the 10 teams knocked out the Champions League get, or play a team knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers also at earlier stages.
Furthermore, due to Celtic dropping into the Europa League at the 3rd qualifying round, they will be seeded for the 3rd round but unseeded for the rest of the qualification campaign, including the Europa League playoff if they make it through.
This was picked up by Twitter account, Moravcik67.
5. Something else of note. Seeding in the EL is different to the CL. Our coefficient no longer matters in qualifying.
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) August 26, 2020
A team dropping out of the CL is seeded for its first EL qualifier, then unseeded for the rest. So we will be seeded for QR3, but unseeded for the playoff.
Celtic could face either the 5 seeded teams that fail to make it through Champions League qualifying in the next stage or any team left in the Champions route of Europa League qualifying.
READ MORE: Celtic and Rangers club coefficient hits five-year high
9. For the playoff round we could get drawn against any team left in the Champions Route of EL qualifying.
— Moravcik67 (@Moravcik67_) August 26, 2020
This is because we would be one of 11 unseeded teams. There will be 5 seeds - the teams knocked out of the the champions route of CLQR3.
While the immediate defeat of Celtic will leave a bitter taste for many fans, for those urging the Scottish coefficient on, not all is lost, however, not for the first time, Scottish clubs seem to be making it more difficult for themselves with poor displays early on in qualifying.
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