Since signing from Krasnodar in January 2017 Eboue Kouassi has started just ten Celtic matches- the last of them away to Hearts in August.
On Saturday he enjoyed a 20 minute run out against Hibs, slotting into a defensive midfield role alongside Olivier Ntcham.
With Scott Brown likely to be out for another couple of weeks Kouassi looks like getting his big chance at Celtic.
At 20 years of age some have already written off his Celtic career, bagging him alongside other signings that have barely made any impact on the first team.
There has been something in Kouassi’s performances that suggest a player however, earlier this year he excelled against Hearts and Zenit St Petersburg but failed to build on that.
His manager has never doubted his ability, tonight in Germany the young African that made the breakthrough in Russia will get his chance to impress.
“Broony’s level of performance for two and a bit years for me has been exceptional and it’s limited the number of opportunities for the likes of Eboue Kouassi,” Rodgers explained to The Sun. “But he’ll get a chance to come in now. He’s shown at times when he’s come in and played.
“Eboue’s a good player. He shows me in training every day that he’s a very good player but he’s been limited in his chances. I see some reports on him being a failure and all that. That’s unfair.
“The boy’s not had a chance. Why? Because the Scotland captain has been amazing in my time.
“Kouassi is a specific player, a defensive midfield player. Whenever Broony is out, there is an opportunity for him to come in and play. He has that quality, there is no doubt, but I try not to say to the players, ‘This is your only chance’.
“You shouldn’t see it as that. You’re going to get opportunities. He doesn’t need to put himself under any added pressure.
“I’m saying, ‘We’ve got you here because we think you are a good player’. I’ve seen it enough times here from him.
“Eboue hasn’t played enough games, but that’s purely because of the form of other players — not because of him.
“When you do get the chance, of course you want to go and show your qualities. He’s a boy for that defensive midfield role. He’s got good agility. His positioning is good. He is quick over the ground and is tenacious in the tackle. Kouassi can pass the ball. So he has all the profile to be a very good defensive midfield player.
“Has he been chapping my door asking to play? No. He’s a very respectful guy.
“He’s a young player so he wants to play, but he also knows domestically there are very few times I need two defensive midfield players.”