WAIT FOR KOLO
Toure races to prove he is ready for Euro crunch
KOLO TOure faces a race against time to prove his fitness for Celtic’s Champions League second-leg standoff with FC Astana.
The latest Parkhead signing failed to travel to Dublin for this evening’s International Champions Cup friendly against Barcelona.
And manager Brendan rodgers now faces a decision on whether to tackle a defensive crisis by pitching the former Liverpool defender into a european baptism of fire on Wednesday night.
Dane erik Sviatchenko missed the first leg in Astana and remains a doubt for the return.
Admitting Celtic’s problems in central defence are no closer to a resolution, coach John Kennedy said: ‘erik hasn’t travelled over. We will see how he is over the next couple of days.
‘It’s better for him to stay at home and get some treatment with a view to Wednesday’s match.
‘Kolo is still working, fitness-wise. He will also stay back and do some extra work.
‘It’s probably a bit early for him to play against Barcelona. We think if he stays at home he can get a few extra sessions fitness wise and then we’ll have a look at that and assess him on Monday.
‘We just have to deal with tomorrow and see how everyone comes through. Come Sunday, we can assess everything
and see where everyone is at and what we’ve got. ‘We are short defensively — there’s no question about that. Obviously, Erik is a question mark, Jozo (Simunovic), Dedryck (Boyata) so we are short on numbers there.’ Celtic hoped to give Toure a run-out at the Aviva against Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and company. With the 35-year-old Ivory Coast defender still short of sharpness questions now exist over his ability to go straight into a crucial Champions League clash against Astana. ‘It depends how Kolo comes through the next few days’ training,’ added Kennedy. ‘If we find his fitness levels are good enough he’s an option but we have to go with what we have got and it’s pretty much similar to what we had in midweek.’ Swedish defender Mikael Lustig failed to travel to Ireland in a move Kennedy described as ‘precautionary’. Midfielder Stefan Johansen has also been left home for the 6pm kick-off after his wife had a baby yesterday morning. Taking a strong squad to the Emerald Isle, however, Kennedy hinted Rodgers will box clever with his resources, mindful of a more important challenge awaiting Celtic on Wednesday. ‘We’re at the stage now where we have a big enough squad to handle it in terms of players who will play on Wednesday,’ he said. ‘There will be very few who will play 90 minutes tomorrow. It’s like a tough training session but you’re playing against a top team, so it’s good to be part of that and test yourself. ‘It’s good preparation to get what we need for the players. There are players who need some match time. ‘At the same time, we can still train Sunday, Monday, Tuesday for the Astana game.’ The Parkhead coach reported no progress in attempts to sign Aston Villa’s Scott Sinclair. And Kennedy explained: ‘He’s one who has been mentioned but he is still an Aston Villa player. ‘We want to bring in quality players but with the numbers we have, we need to bring in players who will be in the team or who can challenge. ‘That is the calibre of player we are looking at.’ Meanwhile, midfielder Callum McGregor is hoping tonight’s glamour friendly against the Spanish title holders is a precursor to another Champions League tussle with the Catalan aristocrats. ‘This will be a good test for our fitness and the way we want to play,’ he said. ‘Hopefully, it will be a sign of things to come and we can just keep building. ‘We want to play Barcelona in the real thing and that’s what we are striving for. ‘I would hope we could face them in the group stage of the Champions League in a few months time. ‘It’s a massive incentive to play Barcelona. They are one of the biggest clubs in the world. ‘For the club and the players, it’s terrific. Games like this are ideal preparation for the Champions League matches. ‘The thought of playing against Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez excites you. ‘You watch these guys playing in the biggest matches in the Champions League and El Clasicos (against Real Madrid). ‘You watch them on the television and now you are going to play them, test yourself against the best in the world. ‘Games like these show you where you are at.’