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Brendan Rodgers must be thinking of starting Timo Weah for Thursday’s Europa League clash with Valencia.
The teenager got his first taste of European action coming off the bench in the disappointing first leg defeat and was back in that position again on Sunday for the dramatic win over Kilmarnock. At 18 you’re not worried about being branded an impact sub – a generation ago that was a more dramatic ‘Super sub’.
Weah has started two matches since joining Celtic but at home against blanket defences isn’t the best setting to exploit his pace.
As far as most folk are concerned Valencia are as good as through to the last 16 of the Europa League with Thursday’s return leg virtually a dead rubber. UEFA’s decision to charge Geoffrey Kondogbia for deliberately getting booked to miss the return leg confirms the view that the Spaniards view the tie as over.
Whatever time it arrives, if Celtic get the first goal the tie becomes live again. The pace of Weah and Oliver Burke in the same team can open up that possibility against opponents who racked up their 14th La Liga draw at the weekend when they drew 0-0 at home to Espanyol.
As well as his pace Weah has enthusiasm in buckets, a quality that the Celtic support have quickly latched onto.
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European football requires more than enthusiasm and pace but with eight full caps for the United States and an extended PSG contract the loan signing has an impressive pedigree that is based on more than just his surname.
There’s not been too much to cheer about for Celtic fans in Europe this season – a starting place for Weah in Valencia might just breathe some life into a tie that the Spaniards already consider to be over.