Predicted Celtic xi v Dortmund as midfield options give Rodgers food for thought

Predicted Celtic xi v Dortmund as midfield options give Rodgers food for thought

It’s matchday two in the Champions League – and the Hoops are out to cause a big upset against last season’s Champions League finalists

Celtic continue their Champions League campaign tonight with a tasty away clash with Borussia Dortmund.

Brendan Rodgers’ men are up and running in the competition after claiming a handsome 5-1 victory against Slovan Bratislava on matchday one, and come into the fixture at the Signal Iduna Park fresh off the back of a 6-0 hammering of St Johnstone. Star man Cameron Carter Vickers has missed the cut for tonight’s game after failing to recover from the toe injury that has seen him absent from the last two matches, meaning that Auston Trusty is expected to start alongside Liam Scales at the heart of the Hoops back line as he did in Perth on Saturday.

But it’s further up the field that Rodgers really has a selection dilemma. The instant impact of £11million man Arne Engels has seen the Belgian star hold down a starting berth in midfield, often at the expense of mainstay Reo Hatate. The Irishman also has plenty food for thought in the wide areas and could be tempted to mix it up as they face a Dortmund side who despite reaching the Champions League final last season – might be there for the taking. Football Scotland takes a look at how the men in green-and-white could line up in western Germany tonight.

Nicolas Kuhn’s red hot form in the early part of the season should see him handed the starting berth on the right-wing while Kyogo’s first half brace in Perth last weekend has reaffirmed his place as the champions’ first choice striker. It’s a toss up between Hatate and Paulo Bernardo but the Japanese star’s experience in these big games is likely to give him the nod.

Provisional Celtic squad

Goalkeepers

• Kasper Schmeichel
• Viljami Sinisalo
• Scott Bain

Defenders

• Alistair Johnston
• Anthony Ralston
• Austin Trusty
• Maik Nawrocki
• Stephen Welsh
• Liam Scales
• Greg Taylor
• Alex Valle
• Adam Montgomery

Midfielders

• Callum McGregor
• Reo Hatate
• Arne Engels
• Paulo Bernardo
• Luke McCowan
• James Forrest
• Luis Palma
• Nicolas Kuhn
• Hyunjun

Forwards

• Kyogo Furuhashi
• Daizen Maeda
• Adam Idah

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