Celtic squad revealed as Lazio last chance could offer first in Champions League to duo

Brendan Rodgers has suspensions to contend with for the Premiership champions’ visit to the Eternal City.

It’s the last chance saloon for Celtic’s Champions League hopes against Lazio tonight.

Brendan Rodgers’ side need a win to keep their slim hopes of making it to the knockout stage alive, although in reality even a third place finish and dropping into the Europa League looks unlikely. It’s been another campaign of encouraging moments but not nearly enough points, and that was what Rodgers was brought back for with domestic success the bare minimum expected.

It looked like Lazio were going to the Hoops’ first victims in this season’s competition when Kyogo Furuhashi put them 1-0 up at parkhead after just 12 minutes back in October. But Matias Vecino levelled on the half hour before Pedro headed home in the sixth minute of stoppage time after Luis Palma had seen his late strike ruled out for offside. The group has gotten away from Celtic since and they are now fighting to keep the possibility alive until matchday 6.

They can take inspiration from a dramatic 2019 win in the Olimpico. That was a role reversal to this season’s meeting with Ciro Immobile scoring early, only for James Forrest to level and Olivier Ntcham to net almost exactly as late a Pedro did in Glasgow to claim a famous victory for Neil Lennon’s men.

Tonight is a different prospect however. Daizen Maeda would have missed out through suspension had he not been injured anyway, following his red card against Atletico Madrid. Luis Palma is also sidelined after picking up one yellow card too many.

Reo Hatate is still missing, so David Turnbull could be handed his first start in the Champions League this season. Mikey Johnston came off the bench against Motherwell at the weekend and could get the nod with Palma suspended.