JAMES FORREST’S emphatic finish in Trondheim on Wednesday night ensured Celtic progressed to the final round of Champions League qualifying as one of the seeded teams in the draw.
The 1-0 aggregate win may have had anxious Hoops fans tearing their hair out, but it was enough to move the Scottish champions 180 minutes away from a return to the prestigious – not to mention lucrative – group stage of European football’s premier competition.
Celtic will discover their opponent in Friday’s draw and some familiar faces are among the five potential foes. So who are they?
HAPOEL BE’ER SHEVA
Last season
Israeli Premier League: Champions
Champions League: Play-off round (Knocked out by Celtic, 5-4 aggregate score)
Europa League: Last 32 (Knocked out by Besiktas, 5-2 aggregate score)
How did they get here?
Second qualifying round: Hapoel Be’er Sheva 5-3 Honved
Third qualifying round: Hapoel Be’er Sheva 3-3 Ludogorets Razgrad (Hapoel Be’er Sheva win on away goals)
Any previous meetings?
17 August 2016: Celtic 5-2 Hapoel Be’er Sheva (Champions League play-off first leg)
23 August 2016: Hapoel Be’er Sheva 2-0 Celtic (Champions League play-off second leg)
ASTANA
Last season
Kazakhstan Premier League: Champions
Champions League: Third qualifying round (Knocked out by Celtic, 3-2 aggregate score)
Europa League: Fourth in Group B
How did they get here?
Second qualifying round: Astana 4-2 Spartaks Jurmala
Third qualifying round: Astana 4-1 Legia Warsaw
Any previous meetings?
27 July 2016: Astana 1-1 Celtic (Champions League third qualifying round first leg)
3 August 2016: Celtic 2-1 Astana (Champions League third qualifying round second leg)
QARABAG
Last season
Azerbaijan Premier League: Champions
Champions League: Third qualifying round (Knocked out by Viktoria Plzen on away goals, 1-1 aggregate score)
Europa League: Third in Group J
How did they get here?
Second qualifying round: Qarabag 6-0 Samtredia
Third qualifying round: Qarabag 2-1 Sheriff
Any previous meetings?
29 July 2015: Celtic 1-0 Qarabag (Champions League third qualifying round first leg)
5 August 2015: Qarabag 0-0 Celtic (Champions League third qualifying round second leg)
RIJEKA
Last season
Croatian First Football League: Champions
Europa League: Third qualifying round (Knocked out by Istanbul Basaksehir on away goals, 2-2 aggregate score)
How did they get here?
Second qualifying round: Rijeka 7-1 The New Saints
Third qualifying round: Rijeka 1-1 Salzburg (Rijeka win on away goals)
Any previous meetings?
None.
SLAVIA PRAGUE
Last season
Czech First League: Champions
Europa League: Play-off round (Knocked out by Anderlecht, 6-0 aggregate score)
How did they get here?
Third qualifying round: Slavia Prague 2-2 BATE Borisov (Slavia Prague win on away goals)
Any previous meetings?
4 July 2017: Slavia Prague 0-0 Celtic (Friendly)
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