Ange Postecoglou is confident that Josip Juranovic will hit the ground running on his return to domestic action after his outstanding contribution at the World Cup helped Croatia to a third place finish and a bronze medal for the Celtic right-back who is expected to start at Ibrox today.
“He is ready to go,” Ange Postecoglou confirmed ahead of today’s trip to Ibrox where a Celtic win will see the lead increase to twelve points at the top of the league, looking down on theRangers. “He was ready the other night, but he had only had one training session with us so I didn’t feel the urgency to throw him back in. He has trained since then and is in good condition so he is fit and available,” Ange said at his media conference ahead of the trip to Ibrox.
Croatia’s defender #22 Josip Juranovic is challenged by Morocco’s forward #19 Youssef En-Nesyri and Morocco’s midfielder #17 Sofiane Boufal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group F football match between Morocco and Croatia at the Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, north of Doha on November 23, 2022. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP) (Photo by FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images)
“I see no reason why he can’t perform as well as the other boys who were away in Qatar have since they have come back in. We had a really positive World Cup as a football club. Aaron (Mooy), Cameron (Carter-Vickers), Daizen (Maeda), Alistair (Johnston) and Josip were all really positive contributors to their country.
“For us, it was great to see. That has also given them the belief and energy to come back here and perform for their club side. I see no reason why Josip will be any different. He has come back and feels good about how it went over there. Now he wants to come back and contribute.”
UEFA Champions League Group F Season 2022/2023 Szachtar Donieck – Celtic Glasgow Josip Juranovic, Credit: Marcin Bulanda /PressFocus / NEWSPIX.PL Newspix.pl
Juranovic has been the centre of transfer speculation about his future for the past few months with the intensity increasing after he was named as the right-back in the official World Cup team of the tournament but on the eve to the transfer window opening the Celtic manager confirmed that there had been no contact about any of his players, including Juranovic.
That might of course change but for now the focus for the Croatian will be continuing his good form and helping Celtic to a win this afternoon.
With Reo Hatate unlikely to be deployed as a makeshift right-back and Anthony Ralston remaining on the sidelines after his ankle injury picked up against Livingston, the Celtic manager has two World Cup stars to choose from – Juranovic or new signing Ally Johnston who was a stand-out for Canada in Qatar.
Expect JJ to start.
COYBIG
