NEIL LENNON faces major selection problems here tonight against Atletico Madrid after deciding not to risk Scott Brown or Anthony Stokes ahead of Sunday's Clydesdale Bank Premier League game against Rangers at Ibrox.
Mohamed Bangura did travel, but sat out training in the Vicente Calderon stadium last night with a groin strain, just a matter of hours after Lennon had said he was in contention to start against Atletico.
The Celtic manager has reiterated winning the first Old Firm game of the season is his priority, and nothing will be allowed to jeopardise his side’s chance of leapfrogging Rangers to go top of the table.
However, Lennon is also wary of suffering a dent to his players’ confidence against what he considers to be a very dangerous Atletico side and he will field the strongest team that he has available.
He said: “Stokes picked up a thigh injury over the last couple of days. He wouldn’t have been fit for this game, and he’s doubtful for Sunday, as well.
“Brown has an ongoing ankle problem. I think he has a good chance of playing against Rangers, maybe 80%.
“A fit Scott Brown would be very important for us, especially in a fixture as physical and high tempo as an Old Firm game.
“We won’t have a lot of possession in Madrid, so we will probably miss his presence here.
“You always take on board the medical opinion, but the priority is the championship and we have a huge game coming up on Sunday. Having said that, we want to have as strong a squad as we can."
James Forrest is one of the men in form Lennon has at his disposal. However, the 20- year-old has been earmarked for a key role at Ibrox, and Lennon is mindful of the need to protect a youngster who has previously struggled to avoid injury when heavily used. "We have to be careful with James," said Lennon. "But he will definitely be in contention."
Lennon is expected to adopt a cautious approach to begin with, even though he teased: "You can play with two up, but you leave yourself vulnerable in midfield then because you might get outnumbered in there."
Sion have not made the journey to Madrid, but will continue to aim their guns at Uefa, whom they plan to sue for £3.47m compensation after their case is heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Lennon, who refused to comment on the eight-month jail sentence handed out the man who attacked him at Tynecastle earlier this year, is happy Celtic are no longer involved in this unseemly scrap. He is focused on tonight’s game: "All we’re looking for is the players to do themselves justice. We’ve been very fortunate to get a second chance. For the lads who didn’t play so well in Sion, it’s a good chance of redemption."
Gregorio Manzano, the experienced Atletico coach, plans to freshen up his team and is not concerned his side have failed to score in either of their opening two La Liga matches, not least because they scored 10 goals in their four qualifying ties.
He also sidestepped attempts to dredge up events of 1974, when the two clubs infamously went to war in a European Cup tie at Parkhead, saying: "What is in the past, is in the past."
"We are going all out to win and get a good start to the group," added Jose Antonio Reyes, the former Arsenal attacker. "We don’t want a repeat of last year when we went out at this stage."
Reyes added diplomatically that he expected Celtic to be as difficult an opponent as Sion would have been. But the smile betrayed this fear is not deep-seated.
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