KIERAN TIERNEY will miss out on Celtic’s Europa League last-32 showdown with Valencia at Parkhead tomorrow night after failing Brendan Rodgers’ fitness deadline test, as CQN reported yesterday.
The Hoops left-back has not appeared since the 2-1 loss against RB Salzburg in the Group B encounter in Glasgow on December 13.
Tierney, 21, has toiled to overcome a persistent hip problem, but returned to training last week and went through a session earlier today at Lennoxtown.
The defender appeared in good spirits, but his fitness levels did not satisfy Rodgers and the Scotland international wasn’t considered for the crucial first leg clash.
LOOKING GOOD…Kieran Tierney looks fit and raring to go in training today, but Brendan Rodgers will not take a risk against Valencia tomorrow night.
Emilio Izaguirre, stretchered off in the 2-0 win over Hibs a week ago, missed Sunday’s 5-0 Scottish Cup victory over St Johnstone with an ankle knock, but is fit to return.
Croatian central defender Jozo Simunovic is available after feeling unwell at the weekend and being replaced by Kristoffer Ajer against the Perth outfit.
Midfielder Olivier Ntcham is out, though, after suffering a recurrence of a hamstring complaint and joins Filip Benkovic, Tom Rogic, Eboue Kouassi and Anthony Ralston on the sidelines.
The champions have scored 21 goals without the loss of one in their seven successive victories since the turn of the year.
However, they have never managed to advance beyond the round of 32 in the Europa League following a 4-3 aggregate defeat to Inter Milan in 2015 and 3-1 against Zenit St Petersburg last year.
