THREE CHEERS
CELTIC EURO BOOST Hoops star trio set to return against Munich
SCOTT BROWN and Stuart Armstrong will both be back for Celtic’s Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich.
And with centre-back Jozo Simunovic also set to return for the Allianz Arena showdown Brendan Rodgers welcomed the triple boost ahead of Wednesday’s crucial Euro crunch in Germany.
Brown, Armstrong and Simunovic all missed out on international duty this month through injury.
The midfield duo were unavailable for the Scotland double-header against Slovakia and Slovenia with hamstring and calf problems respectively, while defender Simunovic missed Bosnia’s World Cup qualifying engagements with a similar issue.
Rodgers, however, will introduce the trio back in the squad at Lennoxtown this morning.
The Celts boss said: “Scott and Stuart will train on Friday and, although it will be too early for Dundee, most definitely for Bayern Munich. Jozo is the same. It wasn’t a tear he had. It was just a slight aggravation and he needed to strengthen it and stay here.
“They have come together and he’ll be fine for Munich. You see the impact of him and Dedryck Boyata and what they give to the team when they play together, so that’s huge for us.
“It’s a big month of big games and you want your best players available.”
Rodgers, meanwhile, has also issued an upbeat bulletin on Moussa Dembele. The French striker got more valuable minutes with his country’s Under-21 squad last week as he fights to regain peak sharpness after missing six weeks earlier in the season with a recurring hamstring issue.
He is having to play second fiddle to Leigh Griffiths at the moment but Rodgers could hand him a start against Dundee tomorrow in the Premiership and says the attacker is in an excellent frame of mind.
He said: “Moussa got game time and I spoke with him at length this morning. It’s probably been a wee bit difficult for him and that is a boy who has done everything to get fit.
“This is the balancing act between getting game time. We just want him available and ready to impact whether from the bench or starting.
“As you saw last season he will get plenty opportunities to play. He’s in a real good place, he knows the team is doing great but he’s ready if asked.”
Griffiths’s hot form looks to have made him the first pick for the massive Group B tie in Munich.
Rodgers admits he’s thrilled with the recent displays of his hitman and also the improvements in his game.
The former Hibs ace bagged his first Champions League group-stage goal against Anderlecht in Brussels just over a fortnight ago, having developed superbly in his lone striker role.
In addition his opening goal in Scotland’s 2-2 draw against Slovenia in Gordon Strachan’s final match as manager of the country last weekend took his recent international tally to four in five games.
Rodgers has played a key role in the progress made by the attacker but said: “You give credit to the boy. He has risen to the challenges we spoke about last year. You see his focus now, his professionalism, the focus in his game.
“One of the things we spoke about in his game, especially if you are not a massive presence, is your lay-off. It has to be important.
“You look at that feature of his game now and the set-up play and lay-offs show the improvement. He’s as good as anyone 25 yards in and his finish in Slovenia was brilliant.
“That was a great start Scotland wanted in the game so I’m delighted for him and frustrated that it’s ended for this tournament.
“Going forward there, you have a real shining light to have someone who is mobile, can finish and can set the game up.
“Obviously he’s getting the experience with us to do it at the very
highest level.”
CRAIG SWAN