The Belgian hasn’t featured for Celtic under Rodgers.
Brendan Rodgers has highlighted the area in which Dedryck Boyata must improve if he is to feature regularly for Celtic, the Scottish Sun reports.
Boyata, a 2015 arrival from Manchester City, is yet to feature for the Bhoys under Rodgers, with injury problems hindering his progress.
As such, the Belgian has found himself pushed down the pecking order of centre-backs, with former City teammate Kolo Toure following him to Parkhead in the summer and Jozo Simunovic returning to fitness and form.
Earlier this week Rodgers admitted via the Belfast Telegraph that Simunovic and January recruit Erik Sviatchenko are likely to be his first-choice pairing, although Boyata could stake a claim if called upon against Borussia Monchengladbach with both Simunovic and Toure left behind.
“I like his physical qualities,” the Celtic boss said of Boyata, as quoted by the Scottish Sun.
“He was unfit over the course of pre-season again. It takes a while to get back and that’s frustrating for him.
“But he is fast, strong, good in the air and, if we can tidy up his passing a bit to play quickly and have speed in his pass, he has a good chance.
“He is now defending forward, stepping into it and being aggressive.”
The report claims that Mikael Lustig is likely to fill in for Simunovic in Germany, with Cristian Gamboa taking the Swede’s place at right-back.
Left-back Kieran Tierney and striker Leigh Griffiths are also missing from Celtic’s Champions League party.
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