Celtic manager Neil Lennon will welcome the chance to step out of the domestic pressure-cooker today as the Scottish Premier League side head to France to face Rennes in the Europa League.
Lennon’s future appeared to be at serious risk halfway through Saturday’s SPL game against Kilmarnock with the Hoops trailing 3-0.
However, a rousing second-half fightback earned them a 3-3 draw, and that result coupled with a draw for Rangers kept Celtic within ten points of their bitter rivals with a game in hand, and probably just kept Lennon in a job, for now.
Now Celtic head to Brittany looking for their first win in Group I against Rennes who, like them, have also managed just one point from two group games.
The Breton side have been beaten just once in their last seven domestic matches, though, and their in-form attack – in which Burkina Faso winger Jonathan Pitroipa is the star attraction – will fancy their chances against a porous Celtic defence.
“After ten games it’s not easy, we lost three or four games but I think we can come back in a good way,” said Celtic’s Israeli international midfielder Beram Kayal of his team’s domestic ills.
Atletico Madrid and Udinese meet in Italy in the other Group I game, while UEFA juggle with the possibility of adding a fifth side to the section.
Sion were expelled from Europe altogether for fielding ineligible players against Celtic in the play-off round, but a Swiss regional court has ruled in their favour following an appeal against the decision.
European football’s governing body has now admitted that they will have to look at ways of reintegrating the Swiss outfit if the CAS also rules in their favour.
Elsewhere, Tottenham and Rubin Kazan contest the supremacy of Group A at White Hart Lane.
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp is likely to again give fringe players a chance in this competition, although his options are limited in defence, where Ledley King, Michael Dawson and William Gallas are all injured.
Group A’s other game sees Shamrock Rovers go to PAOK Salonika, with both teams still looking for a first win.
Stoke City can take a big step towards qualifying for the next stage if they can beat Macccabi Tel-Aviv of Israel, while Fulham can do likewise with a win away to Wisla Krakow in Poland.
For Birmingham City, the Europa League would appear to be little more than a nuisance as they try to win an immediate return to the Premier League.
But the Blues’ supporters are still determined to enjoy their Group H campaign, and as many as 10,000 are expected to travel to Belgium for the clash with a Club Brugge side unbeaten in their domestic league and with two wins out of two in the group so far.
“I think once it comes around it’s an enjoyable experience and the players raise their games for that, or should I say raise their enthusiasm,” Birmingham manager Chris Hughton said of his side’s European campaign.
Today’s fixtures
Group A
Tottenham vs Rubin Kazan; PAOK vs Shamrock Rovers.
Standings: Rubin, Tottenham 4; PAOK 2; Shamrock 0.
Group B
S. Liege vs Vorskla Poltava; Hanover vs Copenhagen.
Standings: S. Liege, Hanover 4; Copenhagen 3; Vorskla 0.
Group C
Rapid Bucharest vs Legia Warsaw; Hapoel Tel-Aviv vs PSV.
Standings: PSV 6; L. Warsaw, R. Bucharest 3; Hapoel 0.
Group D
Sporting Lisbon vs Vaslui; Zurich vs Lazio.
Standings: S. Libson 6; Vaslui 2; Lazio, Zurich 1.
Group E
Stoke City vs Maccabi Tel-Aviv; D. Kiev vs Besiktas.
Standings: Stoke 4; Besiktas 3; D. Kiev 2; Maccabi 1.
Group F
A. Bilbao vs Salzburg; S. Bratislava vs Paris SG.
Standings: A. Bilbao 6; PSG, Salzburg 3; S. Bratislava 0.
Group G
Malmo vs Metalist Kharkiv; AZ Alkmaar vs Austria Vienna.
Standings: AZ Alkmaar, Metalist 4; A. Vienna 3; Malmo 0.
Group H
Maribor vs Braga; Bruges vs Birmingham.
Standings: Bruges 6; Braga, Birmingham 3; Maribor 0.
Group I
Rennes vs Celtic; Udinese vs Atletico Madrid.
Standings: A. Madrid, Udinese 4; Rennes, Celtic 1.
Group J
AEK Larnaca vs Schalke; Maccabi Haifa vs S. Bucharest.
Standings: Schalke 4; Maccabi 3; S. Bucharest 2; AEK Larnaca 1.
Group K
OB Odense vs Twente; Wisla Krakow vs Fulham.
Standings: Twente, Fulham 4; Odense 3; W. Krakow 0.
Group L
L. Moscow vs AEK Athens (18.00); Sturm Graz vs Anderlecht.
Standings: Anderlecht 6; L. Moscow, S. Graz 3; AEK 0.
Groups A to F: 21.05 kick-offs.
Groups G to L: 19.00 kick-offs.