COMEBACK keeper Vasilis Barkas WILL play at Ibrox on Saturday.
The £4.5million Greek international No.1, signed from AEK Athens in the summer, made a surprise return in the 3-0 win over Dundee United at Parkhead yesterday.
Rookie Conor Hazard took over for the 3-2 Europa League Group H victory over Lille earlier this month and did enough to keep the position for the Scottish Cup Final against Hearts where he became the unlikely Hampden hero with two saves in the spot-kick shoot-out that brought the club the quadruple treble.
The 22-year-old Northern Irishman also kept clean sheets in three successive Premiership outings as the champions overcame Kilmarnock (2-0), Ross County (2-0) and Hamilton Accies (3-0).
However, Neil Lennon recalled Barkas, who has been unconvincing since becoming the club’s most expensive netminder, and admitted he has no hesitation in fielding him against Steven Gerrard’s side in the must-win Glasgow derby encounter.
The Hoops gaffer, speaking to the Daily Record, said: “We’ve got big games coming up and I want Vasilis to play in them. He’s come in as number one and I want him to play.
“I think Conor’s done very well, but he’s still very fledgling in his career. It would be a big call to put him into a game of this magnitude at the weekend, so I want to go back to experience.
“Vasilis hasn’t shown us what he’s all about, but he’s capable of doing that. So, I thought it was important to give him a game before the weekend.”
THREE AND EASY – AND THEN JULLIEN SCARE
