IMPRESSIVE Belgian central defender Jason Denayer, on loan from Manchester City, is fit for tomorrow night’s Europa League return against Inter Milan.
There had been doubts about the 19-year-old after he missed the second-half of the 4-0 win over Hamilton on Sunday with a calf complaint. However, assistant boss John Collins confirmed Denayer is likely to line up alongside Virgil Van Dijk in the San Siro.
Collins also admitted he believes the SPFL champions can get through into the last 16. He said: “We are away from home so we will be a little bit tighter early in the game, but we will still play our game, which is trying to pass and control the game.
“It would be a great achievement to go to such a place and win and we have to believe it. We will go there with no fear, but lots of respect. They proved in the first game that that they are a good football team.
“I don’t think they played typically Italian-style, defensive and boring; I thought they were very expansive and tried to build from the back.
“But I think we can get at them. We scored three goals and created other chances and we can cause anyone problems on our day.
“However, we have to keep it tight at the back and not give any cheap goals away.”
One player who will not feature at the San Siro is long term injury victim Charlie Mulgrew. Charlie has targeted next month’s League Cup Final against Dundee United as a possible comeback date, although it would take an injury crisis for him to make the teamsheet for Hampden. 
Celtic’s stand-in skipper has sat out a chunk of the last three months with a knee injury, but is set to resume full training in two weeks.
That gives the 28-year-old utility star an outside chance of playing in the March 15 showpiece at Hampden. Mulgrew admitted: ‘Two weeks this Wednesday is the schedule, but it might be a bit sooner. I’m just taking it day by day.’
Asked if he believed he could make the League Cup Final, Mulgrew replied: ‘Yeah, hopefully. The plan is to be training that week, whether it comes a bit early we will just need to wait and see.
‘I came back a bit too early and broke down. It’s been a long road, but there’s now light at the end of the tunnel. I’m delighted to be back running outside and can really see an end of goal of being back at training. It’s been difficult but you need to get your head down and work as hard as you can.”
Mulgrew watched as his team-mates drew 3-3 draw with Inter Milan in the Europa League last week and he admitted he’s been an extremely frustrated spectator. He added: “There have been a lot of big games and missing out has been disappointing, but I’m over that now and looking forward.’
Celtic’s stand-in skipper has sat out a chunk of the last three months with a knee injury, but is set to resume full training in two weeks.
That gives the 28-year-old utility star an outside chance of playing in the March 15 showpiece at Hampden. Mulgrew admitted: ‘Two weeks this Wednesday is the schedule, but it might be a bit sooner. I’m just taking it day by day.’
Asked if he believed he could make the League Cup Final, Mulgrew replied: ‘Yeah, hopefully. The plan is to be training that week, whether it comes a bit early we will just need to wait and see.
‘I came back a bit too early and broke down. It’s been a long road, but there’s now light at the end of the tunnel. I’m delighted to be back running outside and can really see an end of goal of being back at training. It’s been difficult but you need to get your head down and work as hard as you can.”
Mulgrew watched as his team-mates drew 3-3 draw with Inter Milan in the Europa League last week and he admitted he’s been an extremely frustrated spectator. He added: “There have been a lot of big games and missing out has been disappointing, but I’m over that now and looking forward.’
