Champions League pain can lead to Europa glory

STILIYAN PETROV saw the devastation in a Celtic dressing room after crashing out of the Champions League.

- BY MICHAEL GANNON

You've got games and you've got competitions now.

But he insists dropping down into Europe's second-tier competition doesn't have to be the end of the world.

Petrov was part of the Hoops side that suffered a shock exit in the qualifiers to Basel under Martin O'Neill back in 2003.

It felt like such a crushing disappointment on the back of impressive displays in the Champions League the previous campaign.

But rather than wallow in self-pity, Celts got stuck into the then UEFA Cup - and the charge to the final in Seville became one of the most memorable runs in the club's history.

Petrov made a bold prediction in the Basel aftermath - and reckons the current side needs to have the guts to do something special this season on the back of the collapse against Kairat Almaty.

The former Hoops hero is convinced a Europa League charge can lift the mood among fans who are at war with the club's board, with the campaign to begin against Red Star Belgrade next week.

Petrov — who was was at Ayr Races to perform the draw for the Ladbrokes Ayr Gold Cup - said: “I remember when Martin talked about it, I was young and naive. After the Basel game, I did say in the dressing room, ‘let's go and win the UEFA Cup’.