Under-pressure Hedman has chance to save his reputation

CELTIC goalkeeper Magnus Hedman will get the chance to redeem himself in the Scottish Premier League match against Motherwell after his costly Champions League error.

The Sweden international was expected to get the chop after he was blamed for Bayern Munich’s late winner on Wednesday in the Olympic Stadium. But he earned another chance today after Celtic boss Martin O’Neill said Rob Douglas would be sidelined with a side and back strain.

“Rab has had this problem for a while which is why he will miss tomorrow and it’s affecting his movement in his back and down his side,” O’Neill said. “Rab is injured and has been feeling the effects for some time. There’s been many a match when he hasn’t been properly fit and been sore for quite a number of weeks.”

O'Neill jumped to Hedman's defence and gave him a vote of confidence ahead of today's Parkhead game. This position has been the cause of great debate and I have to make changes every single week and goalkeeping is no different,” he continued. “You want to see the faces of the players when they know they’re not in the side and I want that. It’s best that there is massive disappointment than relief. When I was a player I used to be relieved when I was left out.

“I don’t really want to criticise any specific players here. I don’t think there’s any cause for concern or anything great to be gauged by it all. We went into the game collectively and mistakes are made all over the pitch. I know from my own experience as a player that you get away with a lot of things as an outfield player and you could make three or four mistakes on the trot.

“But goalkeeping is a specialist position and mistakes are magnified there. Anyway, we can’t dally on it as we have to pick ourselves up.”

Douglas has become the latest to be struck down by the Parkhead injury curse which has claimed Paul Lambert, Ulrik Laursen, Johan Mjallby, Stephen Crainey and Steve Guppy.

O’Neill also has other fitness concerns, with Joos Valgaeren unlikely to feature despite a return to training.

The crippling situation has prompted the Celtic boss to step up his efforts to bring in Dani and Ivan de la Pena.

Portuguese midfielder Dani has been training with the club for a fortnight while the door has been left open for former Barcelona and Lazio star de la Pena to return on a trial, O’Neill will continue to talk to both parties over the weekend.

Celtic could lift themselves from the demoralising Munich experience by going top of the Premier League with victory today. But Motherwell travel on the back of a 2-0 win at Hibs.