WE broke the news in the wee small hours that Dedryck Boyata had sent a message of support to his Celtic teammates ahead of tonight’s crucial Champions League 3rd round qualifier in Athens. You can read that HERE.
Now the Belgium defender has given an interview to Belgian media contacts that effectively closes the door on any prospect of a return to the Celtic team.
Boyata tried to show that he was injured in his Instagram post and that he was hoping to be back soon. He went further in his interview with a Belgian website saying:
“I do not know where these rumours come from. I did not refuse to play.
“I have a little problem with the hamstring.
“I’m really behind my team-mates for tonight’s big game.
“What’s going on is that I’m in a special position, and when I hear that I’ve refused to play since I came back from vacation, it’s wrong.
“I have not refused to play.
“Since my return to training, I ran a lot outwith the group to work physically and I felt several small pains in the calf and hamstring.
“I went to the physio every day.
“Last Thursday, I hurt myself by slipping in training and I held my leg directly.
“The physio saw it and examined me right after the session. I put ice on my leg for 30 minutes and, the next day, I said that I had pain.
“The exams proved that I could not play against Hearts.
“On Monday morning, I was still with a physio and the other injured players at the club.”
Boyata also claims to have played through injury last season.
“Yes, I have played several times with Grade 1 injuries. Sometimes it was okay like the last cup final, other times less so like in the last away game against Rangers.
“Hence the precautions I take now because I do not want to take any chances.”
It’s not the talk of whether he is injured or not that has enraged the Celtic support, it is the behaviour of his lowlife agent, Lichtenstein, who stormed the Celtic training ground last week then stood Brendan Rodgers up before running to various Belgian media outlets to attack Celtic.
Unbelievably Boyata has defended Lichtenstein in this interview.
“Personally, I’m not going to react too much to what my agent has been saying in the press.
“I have been working with him for years, I have 100 per cent confidence in him.
“In relation to his statements, he has his reasons. But, I repeat, I trust him.”
