Kris Ajer and Moi Elyounoussi will not play for Norway this week and will return to Scotland, with the Norwegian authorities issuing instructions that all their foreign based players – including the two at Celtic – have to continue with their ten day quarantine period after a teammate tested positive for COVID-19 this week.

Journalist Lars Sivertsen has provided an update that indicates that both Norwegian internationals could be missing for Saturday’s vital trip to Easter Road.

“Foreign-based players in the initial squad (Haaland, Ødegaard, etc) have been allowed to travel back to the various countries where they are employed – on the proviso that they finish their quarantines there. Interesting to see which of them start for their clubs next weekend,” the Norwegian journalist reported.

“Background is that they had a positive test in the initial squad. Under UEFA’s protocols the rest of the squad would have been fine to play as long as they test negative, which they all have, twice, but the Norwegian authorities are insisting that they all quarantine for 10 days,” he continued.

“The Norwegian FA are having to call up a new squad of entirely foreign-based players (who weren’t in the initial squad) so that Wednesday’s game against Austria can go ahead. Ruben Gabrielsen, who plays for Toulouse in Ligue 2, is one of the players called up.”

So two Celts, who were in the initial squad are heading back to Glasgow while the Norwegian FA are scrambling around looking to put a team together to play Austria. 2020 just keeps getting crazier!

Neil Lennon meanwhile will be looking to see if the Norwegian decision is advisory only or whether it will have to be respected and implemented meaning that Ajer and Elyounoussi will have to sit out the Hibs game.

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