BOYATA OFF TO RUSSIA
From Back Page Russia 2018 – which kicks off next week.
Boyata was given the nod by national coach Roberto Martinez with injury worries surrounding defenders Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen.
The 27-year-old’s performances in helping the Hoops land a double Treble were enough to convince his international coach that he was worth a seat on the flight.
Boyata will face England in the group stage but his inclusion causes more selection concerns for Rodgers ahead of the gruelling eight-game qualifying campaign to make the group phase of the Champions League.
With Mikael Lustig also representing Sweden at the summer showpiece, the Parkhead gaffer could be missing two of his first-pick back four for the opening Euro tie in the middle of July.
Playmaker Tom Rogic is also on duty with Australia, while Cristian Gamboa is with Costa Rica in Russia.
Although Gamboa’s involvement with the Central Americans causes no major issue due to lack of game-time last term, Boyata, Lustig and Rogic will all be key men in the Euro qualifiers.
Celtic’s first tie in the Champions League will come on one of the nights of the two World Cup semifinals and Belgium, in particular, are fancied to go deep into the competition.
None of the Hoops’ Russia 2018 quartet will be available for the pre-season training camp in Austria, where the Parkhead men plan to play three matches in a nine-day spell between June 25 and July 3.
Crucially, if Boyata, Lustig and Rogic all exit the tournament before the knockout stages, there will still be no time for a proper holiday or break before the first round of qualifiers.
The players would have only around a week of real rest and Rodgers would likely consider leaving them out of the first two matches.
Boyata, though, has eyes only for Russia right now and is in line for outings in the biggest show in the game.
Belgium play their first game against Panama on June 18 and, although Martinez will try to have Kompany available by giving him every chance to overcome his latest groin injury, the odds look slim.
Martinez said: “We are going to take the time we need for Kompany.
“If Vincent is not fit on June 17, he will not be there but we have to use that period. We’ll give him the time.
“The strength that Kompany has is that he has a real winner’s mentality.
“We are going to decide things in two phases.
“The first phase is to see how much time he needs during the coming week.
“On June 17, we’ll take a new decision.”
Meanwhile, Boyata’s inclusion will bank Celtic another £200,000.
FIFA make payments to clubs who have players representing their countries and, with Celtic having four at the tournament, they will earn £800,000 as some financial compensation for the on-pitch Champions League disruption.