Inverness Caledonian Thistle are one win away from European group-stage football. Yep, you read that right.
An unlikely victory at Hampden next month against treble-chasing Celtic would not only secure the Scottish Cup for a second time, but it will also book a place in either the Europa League or Conference League groups for the second-tier side.
But what would that mean for the rest of Scotland’s European hopefuls? And what about the Premiership’s participants in next season’s Champions League? BBC Scotland has a look…
Caley Thistle are… what?
We’re not trying to burst any bubbles, but it’s going to be a mighty task for the Highlanders.
Billy Dodds’ side would have to serve up arguably the biggest upset in Scottish Cup final history to deny Celtic. But, hey, it’s possible. One-off game and all that.
A Hampden triumph against Ange Postecoglou’s juggernaut would be remarkable enough, but to add guaranteed group-stage European football would be something else for the club who missed out on the Championship play-offs.
Just imagine. A group of Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, Wolfsburg… and Caley Thistle. Sensational.
Lifting the Scottish Cup offers a pass into the play-off round of Europa League qualifying. Win that, you progress to the groups. Lose, you drop into the safety net of the Conference League sections.
Victory for Celtic on 3 June changes the landscape since they have a Champions League place locked down. The cup winners’ reward then transfers to whoever finishes third in the Premiership.
Hearts could benefit from that again, as they did last term, but Aberdeen are in the driving seat, two points ahead with two games to go.
An extra spot, anyone?
A Celtic cup win would also benefit the clubs who end the season in fourth and fifth.
Currently, third place guarantees a place in the Conference League third-round qualifiers. The fourth-placed Premiership side would enter a round earlier as it stands. More success for Celtic would ensure everything gets nudged down.
Fourth would enter Conference League qualifying at round three and fifth gets handed a backdoor pass into the previous round.
Hibernian are currently fifth, with St Mirren nipping at their heels.
Clear enough? Lovely.
Finally, what about the Champions League?
Celtic go straight into groups for second year running.
Rangers enter at the third round of qualifying again, meaning they have to negotiate two ties.
If the Ibrox side were to lose in either two-legged contest, they drop into the Europa League group phase.
It’ll all be here before you can say ‘Super Caley go ballistic’.
