CELTIC travelled to Stockholm this afternoon after training at Celtic Park this morning. There were some notable names missing from the flight, not just the three signings that Neil Lennon promised us all on Sunday!
Of course one player has signed on at Celtic, with Austrian international right back Moitz Bauer signing on a season long loan from English Championship side Stoke City. Celtic have an option to buy, believed to be set at £3million for the 27 year old former Grasshoppers and Rubin Kazan defender.
Bauer of course is not eligible to play in Stockholm tomorrow evening but will certainly be hoping that his new teammates get the job done and win a place in the Europa League Group stages, where Celtic will be seeded in pot two.
We understand that the other right back that Celtic signed this summer, Hatem Abd Elhamed has NOT travelled to Stockholm so Kris Ajer will continue in that position. And Jozo Simunovic, who was also missing against Hearts at the weekend, was also absent from the Celtic party that left Glasgow Airport this afternoon.
With Craig Gordon starting, as Neil Lennon confirmed on Sunday – Scott Bain is still injured and Fraser Forster wasn’t signed in time – the back four is likely to be the same as against Hearts.
The midfield will have Scott Brown, Callum McGregor (never again at left back!) and Ryan Christie as certain starters with both James Forrest and Odsonne Edouard almost certainly starting, barring in late injury scares.
That leaves a decision to make between the more offensive option provided by Mikey Johnston or the slightly ore cautious approach that playing Olivier Ntcham would represent.
Neil Lennon usually goes with the positive option in these circumstances so we reckon that the team to play AIK is
Gordon
Ajer, Bitton, Jullien, Bolingoli
Brown, McGregor, Christie
Forrest, Edouard, Johnston (or perhaps Ntcham!)
Players NOT going to be on the bench are Scotty Sinclair or Jack Hendry. Neither travelled to Sweden amid continued speculation that their time in the Hoops could be coming to an end.
Also on The Celtic Star…
‘Either Celtic will be superior or it will be a magical night for us,’ AIK Captain…see HERE.
‘We’ve Won the League Again, Fly the Flag,’ Celtic’s Exhilarating 1980/81 Rollercoaster Season…see HERE.
Celtic sign right back Moritz Bauer on season long loan deal, with option to buy…see HERE.
Rogic’s Return but for the Socceroos not Celtic…see HERE.
Fall Guy? The Celtic Noise asks, is Neil Lennon carrying the can?…see HERE.
Flag Warning! Willo Flood had a Transfer Window named after him and a League title was lost…see HERE.
‘Turning point for Billy McNeill’s Centenary Celts,’ If you know the history – Celtic at birth, 50 & 100: August 1988…see HERE.
David Potter on Tangled Up in Blue, Stephen O’Donnell on Rangers’ attempts to Conquer Europe…see HERE.
