Former Hull City manager Phil Brown believes Europe’s top sides will feel nervous about going to Celtic Park this season in the Champions League.
Celtic secured their place in the Champions League group stage, when despite losing they scored a 5-4 aggregate win over Israeli outfit Hapoel Beer Sheva.
The Scottish champions will be playing in the Champions League proper and Brown believes Brendan Rodgers deserves huge credit for finally pushing Celtic back into Europe’s elite.
He thinks that Celtic still remain the biggest team in Scotland and feels playing in the Champions League again will feel special for the Scottish champions, who he believes are still a big draw in Europe.
And the Southend United boss has stressed that Europe’s top sides should feel sceptical about taking on the Scottish champions in front of a packed Celtic Park this season.
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Brown said on BBC Radio 5 live: “Scottish football has shown a lot of ambition by bringing Brendan in.
“Yes, everybody can say that they are favourites for the title year-in-year-out, and we get that. We also get the Old Firm games now as we have Rangers back in the Premiership.
“But you are talking about Champions League football here, and he has done the job, albeit hanging on through the skin of his teeth as he got beat 2-0, but the job was done in the first leg.
“Now you have got Champions League latter stages, and they are a big pull still, 60,000 every week at their stadium.
“Every team that goes there, including the likes of Barcelona when they were under Neil Lennon, they will be fearful of going to Parkhead. It’s a good time for Celtic.”
Celtic will be hoping to get into a favourable group when the draw takes place, to boost their chances of qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League.
