Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Liam Bryce

5 things we spotted at Celtic training as Liel Abada makes his choice for RB Leipzig

Celtic's Champions League campaign is back with a bang following the international break as they catch a plane to Germany.

RB Leipzig await in a Wednesday night group stage showdown that promises thrills and spills. Ange Postecoglou's side have stuck to their attacking guns in the opening two fixtures and will be set up to have a go at the Bundesliga big hitters. Leipzig appear to be a team on the up once more following the appointment of Marco Rose to replace Domenico Tedesco, with strikers Timo Werner and Christopher Nkunku finding form at the weekend.

But Celtic have shown they can unsettle the very best and won't carry any apprehension into the Red Bull Arena. With an abundance of attacking talent piled up on both sides, this fixture has all the makings of a classic. Postecoglou put his players through a training session at Celtic Park on Tuesday morning - here's five things we spotted.

Main men

Celtic have shown no intention of tempering their attacking instincts in the Champions League thus far, so don't expect a sudden change of approach in Leipzig. Matt O'Riley and Jota, pictured on Tuesday, are near-certainties to start and will be looking to hit their stride once more.

The pair were unusually subdued against Motherwell and it's no surprise that when they don't fire, Celtic aren't quite at their scintillating peak. But they've already shown they're up to the Champions League task and there's no better stage to find their top form once again.

Attack may well be the best form of defence for Celtic, anyway. The absence of Cameron Carter-Vickers from the session suggests he's struggling to prove his fitness after missing the last two matches.

Giak's back

Celtic were a little off-colour in attack at the weekend and the return of Giorgos Giakoumakis restores Postecoglou's ability to mix things up with his forward line. An entirely different proposition to Kyogo, the Greek forward has been used off the bench to excellent effect at times.

His absence limited Celtic's ability to change their approach against Motherwell but he's back in amongst it as they prepare for a trip to Germany. Whether Giakoumakis starts in Leipzig remains to be seen but his mere presence is a boost in Postecoglou's pursuit of a first Champions League victory.

Ideguchi to play a part?

He's quickly becoming the forgotten man at Celtic Park, but could Yosuke Ideguchi have a part to play over the coming week? Callum McGregor will be suspended for the weekend trip to St Johnstone and it's far from certain who will replace him at the base of midfield.

Oliver Abildgaard played just his first and only minute for the club, while Aaron Mooy looked off the pace in the pre-international break defeat to St Mirren. Ideguchi's early Celtic career was derailed by injury and McGregor's ever-presence means opportunities for him to play have been extremely limited. The coming weekend is his best chance of getting minutes under the belt in quite some time.

Hart in the spotlight

There's little doubt Joe Hart has been another astute piece of business from Celtic and Postecoglou. The veteran goalkeeper has brought stability to a problem position and, by all accounts, his influence around the dressing room is immeasurable.

But for the first time since he moved to Glasgow, Hart's performances have been placed under a little scrutiny in recent weeks. Some felt Hart didn't cover himself in glory for Shakhtar Donetsk's equaliser in Celtic's last Champions League outing and the mix-up between he and Josip Juranovic at the weekend was certainly on the calamitous side. Celtic will likely require a big performance from their goalie to ensure they return home with a positive result.

Abada available?

There was some uncertainty over Liel Abada 's availability given Wednesday night's tie falls amid Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. The Israeli winger sat out last season's Europa League clash with Real Betis as it fell during the holiday period.

It was revealed on Monday that Celtic would let the 21-year-old decide whether he wished to travel. But his presence among those training at Celtic Park on Tuesday suggests he will be on the plane to Germany and available to play if called upon.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.