Barcelona keeper and one of Europe’s best, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, has hailed the home of the Hoops as part of a recent question and answer session on Twitter.
One of the best football stadiums in the world! I would love to experience it again! 👏🏻👏🏻 @CelticFC https://t.co/LSR6zVCiRx
— Marc ter Stegen (@mterstegen1) March 22, 2020
The German international played against Brendan Rodger’s Celtic side in the 2016 Champions League Group Stage as the Catalan side ran out 2-0 winners, but the Parkhead atmosphere obviously had a lasting effect.
Ter Stegen is the latest in a long line of continental stars to be in awe of Celtic Park on a big European night, with Lionel Messi also praising the noise made by the Hoops faithful on the big occasion.
Celtic fans will be hoping that their stadium is full again – as soon as it is safe to do so – in the hope that a return to the group stages of the continent’s elite tournament isn’t far away.
The co-efficient points earned by both Celtic and Rangers this season, plus the Celts’ current ranking could mean an automatic return to the Group Stages if they continue to notch up impressive results like beating Lazio home and away and topping their Europa League group.
Selling Kieran Tierney and Moussa Dembele over the last two seasons has compensated for the loss of the extra revenue gained from competing with the biggest clubs around but without having any impact on their domestic dominance, however, group stage football could just be enough to keep highly sought-after stars like Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer from being the next out the exit door.