Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Moussa Dembele could make a late bid to feature for Celtic against AEK Athens next week.
The striker’s hamstring injury was thought to rule him out of the tie completely, but speaking to the press yesterday, Rodgers says that the Frenchman is in the running to feature in some capacity.
As quoted by The Daily Record, the Hoops boss said:
We will see how it goes. The medical guys have always felt it was going to be a push. We also have to see how Moussa is feeling himself. You can’t put a timeline on these sort of things.
He is working very hard out on the training field. We will see how he goes. You always have to weigh up the risk. They are going to be close.
Obviously nobody wants to see them take a risk with Dembele’s fitness, but his return would be a huge boost to our chances of progressing if he is able to make it.
As good as Odsonne Edouard has started this season, AEK Athens’ defenders got the best of him on Wednesday night and his compatriot could offer a more direct physical threat.
Dedryck Boyata is also expected to feature after the suspension of Kristoffer Ajer and could build his match fitness against Hearts at Tynecastle tomorrow lunchtime.
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