STRAIN GAME

Blow for Bhoys as now Dembele is ruled out of crunch Euro clash

CELTIC’S Champions League injury woes heightened yesterday when star striker Moussa Dembele was ruled out of their second qualifying round clash with Rosenborg.

New £9million signing Odsonne Edouard has overcome a weekend injury scare to emerge as Brendan Rodgers’ only fit striker after Dembele joined Leigh Griffiths on the casualty list.

And Rodgers is poised to hand Costa Rica right-back Cristian Gamboa his first Celtic start since February as he looks to address a defensive crisis caused by the absence of Dedryck Boyata, Mikael Lustig, Marvin Compper and suspended Jozo Simunovic.

Australian World Cup midfielder Tom Rogic returns to action for tonight’s clash but the loss of Dembele with a hamstring pull gives Rodgers another selection headache for the home and away games with the Norwegian champions.

‘Moussa is probably a good couple of weeks away,’ he said. ‘It’s a light strain from the game, which is unfortunate because he’s been very good.

‘Thankfully, it wasn’t any worse as hamstrings can be a while. He’s come back so fit and strong. But there’s a pressure playing up here and players are coming back quickly in to this level of games.’

Supporters have expressed frustration with the Parkhead side once again going into the biggest games of their season severely weakened by injury and

suspension. But the Celtic boss admits he doesn’t have the financial clout to go out and sign ready-made Champions League replacements. Asked if he expects his squad to be stronger when the window closes on August 31, he admitted: ‘I’m not sure, I’m not sure. I’ll work with the players that’s here, the players that we have, and then obviously what the club can do, they will do. ‘But my focus is on the players already here and in the building and ready to work.’ Celtic remain in the market for a rightback and, addressing calls from fans to go out and spend big on a Champions League central defender, Rodgers added: ‘We can’t do it. The club works in a specific way. ‘You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that if you are going to improve drastically from what this group is at and where it has got to over the last couple of years that in order for that to make the improvements that people want to make, it costs money. But that is out of my control. ‘The problem is that if you are going to bring in a top centre-half then that is going to cost you money. It is as simple as that. And big money. That is out of my control. ‘If not then you have to do what the club has always done. You bring in players who fit the model of the club and you develop them and improve them and then probably eventually they move on.’