Celtic face Zenit in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is set to receive a huge boost to his side’s chances of knocking Zenit St. Petersburg out of the Europa League, after the Daily Record delivered an update on two senior Hoops stars.
The report states that both Mikael Lustig and Olivier Ntcham were doubts for Thursday night’s second-leg tie against Roberto Mancini’s Russian giants, but are now expected to be declared fit.
Summer signing Ntcham, 22, missed Sunday’s 0-0 draw against St. Johnstone due to illness, while 31-year-old Sweden international Mikael Lustig suffered a knock during the first leg against Zenit.
But Rodgers will now have both players to choose from, after they started against the Russians in the first leg to help Celtic take a 1-0 advantage into the second leg thanks to Callum McGregor’s excellent second-half finish.
Lustig could form one third of a back three against Zenit once again, as he partnered Kristoffer Ajer and Jozo Simunovic to keep Zenit out. Ntcham is expected to join Scott Brown and Kouassi Eboue in the middle of the park.
The Hoops will still be without the likes of Craig Gordon, Marvin Compper, Dedryck Boyata, Stuart Armstrong, Paddy Roberts, Jonny Hayes and Leigh Griffiths, but also welcome back Tom Rogic who played an hour of Sunday’s draw.
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