Scott fight to make Europe tie
SCOTT BROWN was last night facing a major Champions League fitness fight ahead of Celtic’s crucial qualifier in Armenia tomorrow night.
Brendan Rodgers’ inspirational captain jetted out with the Hoops squad for the first leg against Alashkert but is a serious doubt after sustaining a knee injury in the 7-0 romp over Shamrock Rovers on Saturday.
Injured Leigh Griffiths and Marvin Compper stayed behind in Scotland but such is Brown’s influence that Rodgers will give him every chance to make it – although if his medical team tells him Brown could make the injury worse by playing and with Celtic facing EIGHT matches just to reach the group stages of the Champions League – he’ll be forced to sit out the first leg.
That would be a major blow but fellow midfielder Callum Mcgregor is adamant Celtic can get through the gruelling qualifying campaign for the third straight year to take their place among the elite.
Mcgregor said: “That’s just what it is. You can moan about it, say it’s not fair, whatever. But that’s what you have to do, if you’re going to get to the group stages.
“We just need to do it. We need to get our heads down, get our fitness up and do as best as we can.”
Rodgers admitted Celtic have never had it so hard in qualifying - but has no doubts his men can come good again.
He said: “It’s clearly going to be more difficult this year. It’s always a challenge if you are playing in extreme heat but we know what we have to do. It’s the best club tournament in the world, so we want to be in it.”