Kris Ajer will miss Celtic’s Champions League return clash with AEK Athens due to suspension.
The defender was booked home and away against Rosenborg then collected his third caution of the competition last night against AEK Athens and will sit out the return leg in the Greek capital.
Last night’s booking seemed fair enough but the yellow card picked up last week in Norway after Nicklas Bendtner had a ‘goal’ disallowed after fouling Craig Gordon seemed puzzling.
Ajer has played in all five of Celtic’s Champions League qualifiers but for the away tie in Athens Brendan Rodgers will need to field a new central defensive partnership.
Speaking to Radio Scotland the Celtic boss admitted: “I don’t think we want to lose any of our centre-halves. We will have to look at Dedryck to see where he is at, and Jozo is available as well. It is unfortunate because Kris has been great for us.”
Rodgers will now decide whether to try out his new central defensive pairing against Hearts on Sunday leaving Ajer out or whether to play the new pairing for the first time in Greece.
AEK will be without Konstantinis Galanopoulos next week after being red carded in last night’s first leg.
