Barry Ferguson has told Celtic - and Rangers if they get there - that third place in the Champions League groups has to be next season's big aim.
The Hoops and Light Blues both dined at European club football's elite table earlier this season but both got knocked out as the bottom club in their respective groups. Celtic got two points overall while Giovanni van Bronckhorst's Rangers crashed out with six straight losses and a goal difference that made them the 'worst ever' side to compete at that stage in the competition.
It was only last year that Ferguson's former side made the Europa League final, with a third spot and entry into that competition seen as the minimum requirement from next season's continental tilt. The Record Sport columnist told Go Radio: "I think Rangers and Celtic in the Champions League - Rangers still need to get through the qualifiers - but if both are in that next year, they need to be looking at least third.
"They need to, clubs the size of Celtic and Rangers should be. It depends the luck of the draw, there's no easy games, but they should look to cement third and have an eye on that second place.
"That would be an unbelievable feat. But for me, third spot, you take that all day long."
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