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Compper breaks his silence on Celtic no show

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Marvin Compper has claimed that he is fit and ready to play for Celtic.

On Thursday the hoops travel to face RB Leipzig in the Europa League with the 33-year-old no where near the squad.

An 83 minute appearance against Morton in last season’s Scottish Cup is the sum total of Compper Celtic career that sees him omitted from the squad listed with UEFA for Thursday’s match.

Celtic have been plagued by injury problems in central defence since pre-season training began but since he played in the second half of the friendly against Standard Liege Compper hasn’t been involved in any sort of action.

I’m fit and I train very well,” he told German newspaper Bild. “Even my team-mates do not understand why I do not play.

In the summer I had a calf injury. I got an athletic trainer and a physio at my own expense and made myself fit.

Now it is up to the coach Brendan Rodgers to finally give me the trust.

I still have a contract until 2020, but of course I do not want to sit on the bench.”

Compper’s signing looks like going down as one of the great mysteries of Rodgers’ time at the club.

A year ago the hunt was launched to find an experienced central defender to bring stability to the Celtic defence that was shipping goals in the Champions League.

Compper was identified as the solution but after picking up a thigh strain on the final day of the winter break in Dubai he simply seemed to drop off the radar with Filip Benkovic, Dedryck Boyata, Kris Ajer and Jack Hendry on duty this season.

In August, Celtic suggested to me about a change of club but I do not want to move on so easily,” the 33-year-old added. “I hope for my chance and want to play.”

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