It's been a different summer for Celtic but they have been keeping up the positive momentum ahead of the new season during pre-season.
The Premiership champions have become specialists in early starts amid multiple rounds of qualifying to reach the group stage of either the Champions League or Europa League.
However, the mammoth boost to the coefficient means Ange Postecoglou' s side have been able to focus solely on preparation ahead of the new season.
Postecoglou and Co haven't been treated to kick-abouts in the park during their pre-season tour of Austria and Czech Republic – they've been tested Rapid Vienna and Banik Ostrava.
But this time it was homeward bound as Blackburn Rovers visited Parkhead with Jon Dahl Tomasson eyeing a bright start to his time with the Ewood Park side.
Celtic are only two weeks from their first competitive contest and the games against Rovers, Legia Warsaw and Norwich offer the chance to get up to speed.
They got off to a dreadful start conceding within the first 30 seconds before Jota and David Turnbull turned things around until a late Ben Diaz goal ensured the honours were even in a fiesty encounter in Glasgow.
Starting XI: Hart, Juranovic, Carter-Vickers, Welsh, Taylor, McGregor, O'Riley, Turnbull, Abada, Jota, Kyogo
Subs: Bain, Siegrist, Oluwayemi, Ralston, Jullien, Bernabei, Urhoghide, Lawal, McCarthy, Ideguchi, Johnston, Maeda, Forrest, Vata, Kenny
Join us in our LIVE blog for all the team news and build-up ahead of the clash at Parkhead.
Key Events
The talking points
A sparkling show from Jota turned a regular run out against Championship Blackburn in to a glamour friendly.
The £6.5m signing from Benfica departed the scene of Celtic 2-2 draw after an hour to a standing ovation – and the Rovers players might have been tempted to join in as they were happy to see the back of the attacker.
Jota grabbed a superb leveller after Jon Dahl Tomasson’s Blackburn took a shock lead in just 20 second and ran amok for the rest of the time on the pitch.
The 23-year-old tormented Rovers all day and even brought out a few party pieces, with an array of flicks and tricks. Scottish Premiership defences might not want to pour over the footage and Ange Postecoglou 's champions are ready to pick up where they left off last season.
Jota reacts
Celtic fans are still on cloud nine after Jota penned a permanent deal at Parkhead and he showed glimpses of why he was so sought after this summer during today's showing.
Asked about the decision to move from Benfica the Portuguese star told Premier Sports:
It's always an honour to play in this stadium with this fans so we are delighted to be back and we just hope that we can do an amazing season.
Of course this is a massive club and it was an aim of mine to play here for this fantastic club so now I just have to keep on working to learn with everyone and achieve the goals.
Two weeks away from competitive action
Ange Postecoglou will have seen plenty of positives from his side this afternoon despite not getting the victory.
They kick-off their Premiership campaign at home to Aberdeen in just 15 days time!
FULL-TIME! Celtic 2-2 Blackburn
The final whistle has been blown with nothing to seperate the sides.
Sam Gallagher put Blackburn into an early lead but goals from Jota and David Turnbull had Celtic into the driving seat before Ben Diaz equalised late on from awell worked free-kick.
Overall a good run out played at a high intensity for pre-season.
Ralston goes off
Celtic tak no risks with Anthony Ralston after that knock and he's replaced by Dutch defender Osaze Urhoghide for the final couple of minutes.
Rash challenge
Lewis Travis is again on the receiving end of a hard challenge.
This time it's James McCarthy who's the offender. He is shown a yellow card.
Injury scare
Anthony Ralston is down receiving treatment after taking a nasty knock to the ankle.
The Celtic bench will be praying he will be okay to continue.
Who can find a winner?
There's just ten minutes plus any stoppage time for one of these sides to find a winner.
Friendly?
Yosuke Ideguchi is shown yellow for a late challenge on Lewis Travis.
You don't see too many friendlies with this amount of yellow cards and meaty challenges.
Rovers change it up
Rankin-Costello, Wharton and Markanday are on for Ayala, Buckley and Diaz.
GOAL! Celtic 2-2 Blackburn
Ben Diaz levels things up with a low curling free-kick around the wall to give Benju Siegrist no chance.
Ringing the changes
More changes for Celtic...
Matt O'Riley, Stephen Welsh, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Callum McGregor makeway for Rocco Vata, James McCarthy, Christopher Jullien and Bosun Lawal.
Hedges on
Rovers goalscorer Sam Gallagher was the player to be brought off for Ryan Hedges.
Celtic looking comfortable
It's possession football for the hosts now as we head into the final 20 minutes.
They'll want to keep up their unbeaten start to pre-season ahead of defending their Scottish Premiership crown.
Bernabei exciting fans
Alexandro Bernabei flashes the ball across goal but Daizen Maeda just can't get on the end of it.
Bernabei certainly looks a good signing on first viewing.
More changes incoming
It looks like former Aberdeen star Ryan Hedges will be Rovers' first change.
Let off
Ben Diaz can count himself unlucky as he's waved offside after being played through on goal.
He fires wide of the target anyways but it was evidence Blackburn can get joy playing the ball in behind the Celtic defence.
Double change
Celtic goalscorer Jota is replaced by Mikey Johnston while Yosuke Ideguchi is on for David Turnbull.
Another top save
Blackburn are having a spell of dominance in the game as they seek an equaliser.
This time Benji Siegrist is forced into a big save with his feet to deny Sam Gallagher.
Going for goals
Celtic get hit on the counter attack and Sam Gallagher nearly doubles his tally for the afternoon.
But Benji Siegrist gets down quick to divert the danger.
Almost
Celtic new recruit Alexandro Bernabei makes an ambitious effort and stings the pams of the keeper.
A promising opening ten minutes to the Argentine's Parkhead debut.
Waves of attack
Matt O'Riley plays in Jota but the Blackburn keeper is equal to it at his near post.
Celtic look like they mean business.
Wanting more
Sam Gallagher unleashes a shot from distance but Benji Siegrist gets down low to save.
Counter attack
Callum McGregor covers extremely well to get goalside and make a great tackle to prevent what looked like a promissing counter attack from the visitors.
Changes galore
Benji Seigrist, Anthony Ralston, Daizen Maeda, James Forrest and newbie Alexandro Bernabei all come on for Celtic the break.
