ALL THE GROUPS

Tierney amazed he will have to try to stop hero Messi

Kieran Tierney says Celtic are up against “three great teams” in the Champions League but insists the Hoops are not there just to make up the numbers.

The 19-year-old defender was at Celtic Park for the group stage draw and watched the Scottish champions drawn in Group C alongside Barcelona, Manchester City and Borussia Munchengladbach.

Celtic qualified for the first time in three seasons with a 5-4 aggregate win against Israeli side Hapoel Be’er Sheva and their last game in European football’s elite club competition ended in a 6-1 defeat by Barca at the Nou Camp.

Tierney, who missed the 3-1 defeat by the Catalan giants in the International Champions Cup match in Dublin at the end of July, has been a long-time admirer of Barca, but is determined to help Brendan Rodgers’ side get into the knockout stages.

The Scotland international said: “It is a great draw, three great teams. That is why you are in the Champions League, to play the best.

“People asked me who I wanted but I really didn’t mind because you are going to get three great teams and six great games.

“I have always thought that Barca are the best team in world, with Lionel Messi and players like that. Growing up, it was brilliant to watch them and now hopefully I can play against them. I thinkit is difficult in any group. This is the best of the best.

“It is the biggest competition and we are delighted to be there but we are not

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:

Paris St Germain, Arsenal, Basle, Ludogorets.

Benfica, Napoli, Dynamo Kiev, Besiktas.

Barcelona, Manchester City, Borussia Munchengladbach, Celtic.

Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, Rostov.

just there to make up the numbers. It is going to be very tough. Everyone knows that but we have to stay positive, do our work on the training field and you never know what can happen.”

Tierney came through the Parkhead youth system

CSKA Moscow, Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham, Monaco. Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting, Legia Warsaw. Leicester, Porto, Club Brugge, FC Copenhagen. Juventus, Sevilla, Lyon, Dinamo Zagreb.

and is wellknownfor being a ball boy on the night four years ago – November 7, 2012 – when Tony Watt scored the winner in a dramatic 2-1 victory against Barcelona.

Asked about his memories of that game, he said: “I remember sitting in the corner with a ball in my hand, just looking at the ball and thinking ‘This is brilliant’, and four years later I amdying to play in a game like that. I missed out on that game in Ireland, so it will be a first for me and I amreally looking forward to it.”