BRENDAN RODGERS will go into his first-ever Scottish League Cup-tie against Motherwell on Wednesday night without last season’s 40-goal marksman Leigh Griffiths.
The prolific striker will miss the Parkhead confrontation with a ban which is being carried over from last season. Midfielder Stefan Johansen and defender Efe Ambrose are also sidelined with suspensions.
Ironically, Griffiths was also forced to miss the final league game of last season against Mark McGhee’s side in Glasgow.
The Hoops brought the curtain down on their fifth successive Premiership title triumph in spectacular style with an overwhelming 7-0 win over the Fir Park side.
It was a grand finale for Ronny Deila who returned to Norway that evening after two years in the Hoops dug-out.
The League Cup – known as the BetFred Cup this term – hasn’t been particularly happy tournament for Griffiths who missed a penalty-kick in the 3-1 semi-final defeat against Ross County in January.
Celtic were 1-0 up after a goal from Gary-Mackay Stevens inside the first minute before Ambrose was ordered off in the 12th minute and the Dingwall side levelled before scoring two second-half goals against their 10-man opponents.
