Callum McGregor insists the Champions League theme will be music to his ears as he vowed Celtic are ready to roar against the continent's big guns.
The Hoops skipper admitted he’d love a crack at reigning champions Real Madrid in today’s group stage draw in Istanbul. But McGregor insisted Parkhead will be rocking regardless of who comes out of the hat. Celts are among the pot four seeds and are likely to land a section including some of Europe’s super clubs with PSG, Man City and Bayern Munich in the top pot with Real, the likes of Liverpool and Barcelona in the second section and Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan in the third class of clubs.
McGregor is relishing Celtic’s return to the big stage after five years’ absence and won’t be running scared. He said: “If we get Real, then great. That would be a nice one to tick off the list, but I’m sure whoever we get will be top opponents.
“This is the top level of European football, it’s a great challenge and we’re all looking forward to it. I’ve tried to stay away from studying who we could get from pots one, two or three. There are so many top teams in there, we have to take it as it comes. They are all good.
“It will be special to hear that music again after a few years. The noise level just goes up tenfold and it created an amazing atmosphere.
“I’m just really looking forward to it. I’ve already told a few of the guys what to expect. I’ve told them it’s at another level and they are excited about it.
“When the games come around everyone will look forward to it and hopefully there will be some special nights.”
McGregor, James Forrest and Anthony Ralston are the only players left in the Celtic squad to have tasted action in the Champions League group stages. And the captain has challenged the current group to make their own memories.
McGregor said: “I think there’s only a few of us left from back then so it’s a whole new group and we want to be successful in our own right.
“We don’t want to dwell on teams from the past or anything like that, good or bad. We’ve got some nice experience in the squad as well, but it’s a new team and we want to develop and learn together, and create our own experiences.”
McGregor and Forrest also have memories of hitting the net in the group stage having as the midfielder levelled against Bayern Munich in 2017 before the Germans nabbed a winner, while Forrest was on target in a 2-1 win over Ajax in 2013. He’s hoping there are more magical moments on the horizon and said: “I didn’t realise I was the only one left in the squad to score in the Champions League. I’ll need to remind the boys that one!
“The goal against Bayern was a special moment. When you look back over your career you think about the big nights and that was one of them.
“It was a special feeling to get my first Champions League goal. The result didn’t go our way in the end but it was a great occasion and it was a good game.”
McGregor insisted Celts will hit the group stages with confidence after a stress-free start to the season having managed to dodge the qualifiers for the first time in more than a decade. He said: “It’s been nice. These games are always really difficult to negotiate. They come thick and fast and you are trying to get to speed.
“You come up against good teams and if you’re not quite right or a little off it, then you can quite easily get done. It’s obviously a big blow when that’s happened at the start of the season and you have to recover from that and get the league campaign going.
“Even the games we’ve been successful in have been tough and emotionally they can be draining. You can score five at home and think you’re home and dry but these games can turn quickly.
“It’s just nice to avoid all that and go straight into the group stages.”
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