MOUSSA Dembele has to start in Athens.

The Frenchman has travelled with Celtic which must mean his hamstring is good and so, for me, he is in the starting eleven alongside Odsonne Edouard.

Dembele is a big player for Celtic. This is huge night for the club. Ergo, he plays if fit.

I do fancy us to score over there but like any fan I do have concerns about the defence who really need to play the perfect game if we are to go through.

It wouldn't surprise me if Brendan Rodgers goes with a back three of Mikael Lustig, Jack Hendry and Jozo Simunovic, a man who could do with finding a bit of form.

AEK showed they are a decent side but I'm not so sure they are better than Celtic, but we need every one of the players to be at or close to their best to get through this.

This is not a night to go hiding.

Tom Rogic will come back in and we need to get him on the ball in dangerous areas because he is such a menace.

And I want to see the two up-front, if that's how they start, being given plenty of service because these guys will score if given chances.

I have a feeling Celtic will get through. If they did, and made it to the group stage of the Champions League again, it would be a remarkable achievement.

It's up to the players to perform, to enjoy the responsibility which comes with wearing that jersey.

Good luck, Bhoys.

I DON'T think Jacques Liechtenstein will be on Brendan Rodgers's Christmas card list but spare me the tosh that Dedryck Boyata's agent has done anything really wrong.

All he is guilty of is acting in his player's best interests. Most if not all agents would do the same.

It's not very nice, I will give you that, and Boyata could have shown some more loyalty to Celtic who have been really good for him.

But I have seen this all before in my day.

There was always one, usually a striker, who came down with a mystery illness just as a bigger club had come in for him.

Boyata should have been signed up on a long-term contract before he want to the World Cup.

Now, he has a year left and could go for nothing next summer, although I can't see that happening.

Celtic don't need him hanging about, not when they will probably get £10m for him which is a pretty good deal.

Liechtenstein won't be welcomed at the training ground any time soon, but if he gets Boyata a move then I am sure he won't care.

That, folks, is football.