Czech in charge in Kazakhstan
The 35-year-old from the Czech Republic took charge of three Champions League group matches last season as well as Arsenal’s 2-0 home defeat from Bayern Munich in the last 16.
Královec is on the short list of officials for the 2014 World Cup and has been on the FIFA list since 2005.
Tomorrow’s match will be the first time that a Scottish team has played in Kazakhstan but it won’t be an entirely new experience for three Celtic players.
Beram Kayal, Georgios Samaras and Mikael Lustig have all played against teams from Kazakhstan with Lustig scheduled for a return trip on September 10 with Sweden on international duty.
Last September the defender helped Sweden to a 2-0 win over Kazakhstan in Stockholm although Samaras’ experience of Kazakhstan is a little more distant. In 2005 the Celtic striker helped Greece to a 2-1 win in a European Championship u-21 qualifier.
In 2009 Kayal helped Maccabi Haifa to a 0-0 draw away to FC Aktobe before winning the return match 4-3 despite finding themselves 3-0 down at one stage.
Celtic will train at the Astrana Arena tonight as Neil Lennon’s squad prepare to play on an artificial surface for the third round running.
Amido Balde, Anthony Stokes, Tom Rogic and Derk Boerrigter are included in the Celtic squad despite missing Saturday’s win over Aberdeen through injury.
Celtic have until 11pm tonight to make a signing eligible for the return leg at Celtic Park next Wednesday.