The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Celtic drawn against Saints’ conquerors Alashkert
Celtic are set for a rematch with Rosenborg if they get past Armeniansidealashkertintheir opening Champions League qualifier.
Brendan Rodgers’ side will face the winners of the tie between Icelandic champions Valur and first-round seeds Rosenborg if they reach the second qualifying round.
Celtic are scheduled to open their quest for a hat-trick of group stage qualifications in Armenian capital Yerevan on July 10-11, one round earlier than last season, but final dates are still to be confirmed.
Alashkertknockedstjohnstone out of the Europa League three years ago after they scored a crucial away goal with 10 men at Mcdiarmid Park, but their only other European victories have come against Santa Coloma of Andorra.
A James Forrest strike in Trondheim proved enough to ease Celtic past Rosenborg last yearatthethirdqualifying-round stage. The Norwegians dropped into the Europa League qualifiers, where they beat Ajax to qualify for the group stages.
Valur have only won three European ties despite qualifying 22 times. They beat Ventspils of Lativa 1-0 last season in the Europaleaguebeforelosing5-3 on aggregate to Slovenians Domzale in the second round.
Celtic beat them 7-0 at Parkhead in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1975-76 but those sorts of defeats are not confined to the distant past for the Reykjavik side – they lost 10-1 over two legs to Danes Brondby two years ago.
“Obviously our scouts will do their work on Rosenborg in preparation for that being an eventuality, but it’s all about the first game, it’s all about being ready for that, being at our best level for that game and gettingthroughthatround,” said assistant manager Chris Davies.
“You have got to bear that in mind, that there will be heat there. At times you can adapt slightlyonatacticalside, howyou approach certain phases of a game when it’s so hot.
“But we are training now in warmer weather and we are going to Austria, so that will help usprepareforthat.”