Given how difficult it has become to qualify for the Champions League, you have to consider that if Celtic make it back into the group stages this term that it is an accomplishment as impressive as any domestic success.

This summer looks like being the toughest journey yet. You would expect that the heat and the travelling will be the biggest issues that Celtic face when they prepare for that opening game against Armenian side Alashkert.

A 5,000 mile round trip to play in baking heat is a tough call for the first competitive game of the season. The one positive to take out of the draw is that whatever happens over there, Celtic will be a week further on in their preparations when they host Alashkert in the second leg.

You would assume that both they and Rosenborg would get through – but that, for a second round tie – is a huge test.

I know that people have said that the Norwegians haven’t been playing particularly well of late but they have a good month now to organise themselves and at this stage of this season I don’t think you can ignore just how important that can be.

They will be sharper given the fact that they are into their season and I think that is an extremely difficult one to come out of. Again, it helps that the second leg is over in Glasgow and Celtic will have the backing of the crowd as they try to get through into the next stage.

But whatever you say, this is the most tense stage of the season. There isn’t another part of the domestic campaign that carries so much tension and weight that this does. So much is at stake and there is always a palpable sense of just how important the games are around the stadium.

You can sense it in the atmosphere around the stadium and I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say just how much these games underpin the season. I do think there is a real lift that everyone takes when the team gets into the group stages.

There is a real appreciation of being in that company and there will always be a feeling that is the company that Celtic deserve to keep. You can criticise UEFA for how tough they make it – and Celtic haven’t been helped by other teams failing to progress beyond initial qualifiers – but the fact is that every summer you know these games are coming and by hook or by crook you need to find a way to get through them.

The one thing that can help Celtic is that they have so much experience of them now. You hope that helps them cope with the mental side of it because I don’t think you can shy away from just how much pressure there is on everyone as they look to get through.

With the likes of Tom Rogic, Mikael Lustig and Dedryck Boyata – three starters for Celtic – all involved in World Cup duty and then getting time off afterwards, Rodgers’ also has the headache of starting arguably some of the most critical games of the season without key players.

It is far from ideal. Given the fact that there are another two rounds to go after this one there is no doubt in mind that if Celtic get through and back into the group stages for the third successive season that they’ll deserve to pop the champagne corks.