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Lennon names first time captain for Cluj tie

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Image for Lennon names first time captain for Cluj tie

Olivier Ntcham will captain Celtic against Cluj tonight in the closing Europa League group stage match.

The midfielder started the season on the naughty step after comments made to L’Equipe during the summer but provided the most memorable European moment so far when he scored the stoppage time winner away to Lazio.

Ten thousand Celtic fans celebrated the club’s first ever win in Italy but despite that landmark goa Ntcham has struggled to get into Neil Lennon’s side.

First choice midfielders, and also captain and vice-captains Scott Brown and Callum McGregor will watch tonight’s match from their homes forcing Lennon to name a new skipper for the night.

The Celtic boss told The Sun:

Olivier will be captain. I’m really pleased with his attitude and the way he’s training. He was unfortunate not to get game time last Sunday and I’m delighted with what he’s doing around the place. I want him to take that responsibility.

He said some things in the summer he probably meant at the time, but maybe some of it was taken out of context. We had a chat about it at the start of the season and he parked it and since then he has been absolutely terrific. I’ve no qualms about making him captain.

With five domestic matches to be completed over 14 days a fully fit and on-form Ntcham will be needed over the remainder of the year.

Tom Rogic has been left out of the travelling squad leaving Ntcham as the obvious choice to step into the side in the absence of Brown, McGregor or Ryan Christie.

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