Team News: Ajeti on the bench as Neil Lennon makes two changes
Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 Second Leg - Bayern Munich v Chelsea - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - August 8, 2020 General view of a matchball, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) REUTERS/Michael Dalder
Neil Lennon has made just two changes to the Celtic side that drew at Kilmarnock for tonight’s Champions League qualifier against KR Reykjavik.
Hatem Abd Elhamed and Nir Bitton come into the side with Kris Ajer and Jeremie Frimpong dropping to the bench. The changes give Lennon the option to play with a back three pushing Greg Taylor forward with Moi Elyounoussi or Ryan Christie moving in to play alongside Odsonne Edouard.
It has been 10 long dramatic days since the 1-1 draw at Rugby Park as the new season came to a halt due to the selfishness of Boli Bolingoli.
With Albian Ajeti not up to full fitness the former West Ham striker starts the match on the bench with the hoops with seven substitutes listed rater than the nine permitted in the SPFL.
After failing at the Third Qualifying Round in each of the last two seasons Lennon’s squad are well aware of the obstacles in their way to reaching the group stage.
The winner of tonight’s match will be at home to Djugarden or Ferencvaros next week in the Second Round, if successful Celtic will be seeded in each of the qualifying rounds as they chase the £30m on offer that comes with reaching the group stage which starts in October.
CELTIC: Barkas; Elhamed, Bitton, Jullien, Taylor: McGregor, Brown; Forrest Christie, Elyounoussi; Edouard
SUBS: Bain, Klimala, Ntcham, Ajer, Frimpong, Ajeti, Rogic,