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'Won't be playing' - Rodgers confirms key Celtic trio will miss make-or-break fixtures
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that the Celtic trio of Tom Rogic, Mikael Lustig and Dedryck Boyata will all miss at least the first round of Celtic’s Champions League qualifiers.
Despite Australia’s exit from the World Cup Rogic will been given two weeks off and will miss the clash against Armenian champions Alashkert, whilst Boyata and Lustig will be given two weeks off when Sweden and Belgium exit the World Cup.
“He’ll have two weeks off from now, so he’ll be back when we arrive home from the first leg. He’ll be back training on July 12” Rodgers said about Rogic, as quoted by the Daily Record.
“He won’t be playing in the first leg, it’s a long season for us and he’s just off the back of a World Cup. So he’ll have two weeks free then come back fresh and ready for, hopefully, another exciting season.”
“All the boys from when they go out have got two weeks.”
Football Insider verdict
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It was inevitable that the World Cup Hoops would miss some rounds of qualifiers, but that doesn’t make it less annoying for the fans. At least Tom Rogic will only miss the first round – should the Hoops reach the second round there’s a real chance Dedryck Boyata and Mikael Lustig will miss those games, and that could be a real blow for the Bhoys. Brendan Rodgers is doing the right thing though, the players do need time off, and the Hoops should have enough in their squad to get through the ties in the absence of three key players. Naturally Rodgers and the Hoops support will be hoping that all three players are ready and raring to go ahead of the final two qualifying rounds, which all being well the Hoops will have reached by the time the trio return. It’s time for some other players to step up and become heroes in the absence of these Hoops regulars.
In other Celtic news, Lille have been linked with a Hoops defender
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