The inclusion of European powerhouses PSG and Bayern Munich in their group meant any hopes for Celtic to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League had to be weighed against a heavy dose of reality.

Brendan Rodgers' stated ambition is to be in European competition after Christmas.

The elite competition would be the preferred destination but nobody at Celtic would turn their nose up at a place in the Europa League if PSG and Bayern make their money count in the group games.

The most likely scenario is that Anderlecht and Celtic fight it out for third place and the consolation Europa League place.

The head-to-head games between the two are crucial but how big a test do the Belgian champions pose to Scott Brown and his teammates?

Last season was one that would have satisfied most Anderlecht supporters.

After seeing Gent and then Club Brugge win the league in successive seasons, Anderlecht took the title back in style, winning the regular season and then finishing the play-off group to finish seven points ahead of Brugge in Belgium's convoluted league system.

European football was also a relative success with the team reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League, knocking out APOEL and Zenit along the way and taking Manchester United to extra time at Old Trafford before going out of the competition.

The future looked bright under Rene Weiler after a successful first season in charge.

A Belgian Super Cup win against Zulte Waregem in July looked like heralding another run of success but when the league got under way the wheels came off.

Just two wins from seven games was enough for Anderlecht to sack Weiler and put in place a temporary management team made up of coaches Nicolas Frutos, David Sesa and Thomas Binggeli.

That trio have been in charge for two matches now, winning 1-0 away to Westerlo in the cup before their players came back from being a goal down to record a late 2-1 win at Waasland-Beveren.

With Belgium's league winners being granted direct entry to the group stage of the Champions League, they have only played one game so far in Europe.

Bayern Munich ran out 3-0 winners against the Belgians on match day one.

A successful season always draws admirers and Anderlecht lost three key members of their title-winning side in the summer.

The most high-profile was young attacker Youri Tielemans, scorer of 18 goals and provider of 15 last season.

He left for Monaco with more than €20m arriving in return.

Centre-back Bram Nuytinck left after five years to join Udinese and left-sided midfielder moved to China on a lucrative season-long loan deal.

The trio may have brought in cash for reinvestment but Anderlecht said goodbye to to players who had made 144 appearances combined last season.

On the plus side, Polish striker Lucasz Teodorczyk signed on a permanent deal from Dinamo Kiev after scoring 30 goals on loan the previous season.

Nigerian forward Henry Onyekuru, linked with Celtic in the summer, was loaned to Anderlecht from Everton not long after the English Premier League side signed him from Eupen.

The duo have six goals between them this season.

Serbian centre-back Uros Spajic also signed on a permanent deal after being a regular performer on loan from Toulouse last season.

Belgian midfielder Sven Kums also signed for a large outlay but will miss the match against Celtic after being sent off just 11 minutes into the match against Bayern.

Teodorczyk would be the main goal threat but a thigh injury ruled him out of Saturday's win and could see him miss the Celtic match.

Veteran forward Hamdi Harbaoui could continue in attack or Onyekuru may be given stage for his undoubted talent.

Further danger lies beyond the striker with Romanian Nicolae Stanciu and Algerian Sofiane Hanni both creative influences who can also find the net.

Defensive midfielder Leander Dendoncker could be another major influence.

The 22-year old has already broken into the star-studded Belgian national team during World Cup qualifying.