More misery for Lambert

Celtic skipper Paul Lambert faces more misery in Germany after Martin O’Neill all but conceded today that his skipper would miss the Champions League opener against Bayern Munich in the Olympic Stadium.

The midfielder reluctantly came off at half-time in Scotland’s midweek defeat to Germany in Dortmund after his ankle injury flared up again.

Lambert will undergo a scan later today, but his club manager has already ruled him out of tomorrow’s trip to Dundee and is far from confident of him recovering in time to face Bayern on Wednesday.

“He’s definitely out of the Dundee game,” admitted O’Neill. “We will have a better idea after the scan today.

“The scan may show something and it may not, but you don’t want to be starting games full of pain.

“That will have to take some time to settle down. We will be guided by Paul and the doctor, but he would be unlikely to play in any of the two games.

“It’s a blow because he has been a major part of this side for three years.”

Lambert surprised many by shaking off the injury which forced him to sit out of the qualifier with the Faroe Islands last weekend.

But the Celtic boss refused to point the finger at Berti Vogts and the Scottish Football Association for taking the gamble.

“I’m disappointed because he is a top-class player,” continued O’Neill. “But if you are looking to attach blame then you can’t.

“It’s one of those things. When you play international matches then you take a chance. He was fit to play and to start the game.

“He felt very uncomfortable and as you know he doesn’t like coming off at any given stage so it must have been really painful.

“We always leave that with the players. If the player decided he was fit enough to play in the match he went with it.

“You want to play for your country in an important game. Anybody can get injured so there’s no comeback from us.

“As a club manager you see the players disappear for a fortnight and you hope they come back in one piece.

“It’s almost the law of averages now that with the amount of players playing in full-blooded games, especially in double headers, then it’s unlikely everybody will come back absolutely raring to go.”

O’Neill could bolster his midfield with the signing of former Atletico Madrid star Dani, who is currently training with the club.

Former Barcelona and Lazio favourite Ivan de la Pena, who was also on trial, is discussing a possible move to Qatar, but the Celtic boss has left the door open for both players to stay.

O’Neill added: “They played a game against Livingston on Tuesday. Dani is still training with us between 10 days and a fortnight.

“He and De la Pena had not played very much football and towards the latter stages of that game it was quite apparent that fitness was a problem.

“Because I was unable to offer anything to De La Pena he has travelled to Qatar because there was something on offer there for him.

“I’m not sure what has happened, but the offer still stands here for him to get his fitness and the possibility to play.

“He may have other alternatives, but he definitely showed against Livingston that he has some delightful touches and can play a bit.

“The offer’s there to come to train for a fitness assessment but there is no deal. It is not my wish to offer deals after one game.

“Dani is lacking in fitness and I think I will be in a better position, and him likewise, to assess things at the end of the fortnight. I won’t be making a quick decision on him.”

Second-place Celtic will be substantially weaker for the testing match at Dens Park with Lambert joining Chris Sutton, Johan Majallby, Joos Valgaeren, Steve Guppy and Ulrik Laursen on the sidelines.

It was always going to be a tricky affair as the Scottish Cup finalists held them and the champions there last season.

O’Neill has been impressed with the job Jim Duffy has done and feels that if they can add consistency to their game they would have all the ingredients to challenge the Old Firm for the title.

“They have got a pedigree and quite rightly so,” he said.

“They are always dangerous on their own ground. The matches there have been exceptionally difficult. We drew 1-1 last season and I’m expecting it to be difficult again.

“They have done remarkably well and Jim has got them playing strongly and with plenty of desire.

“If you add that to the ability they possess then they have got a very dangerous side, but all they are looking for now is that sort of consistency that’s not really been in their make-up in recent years.

“With their efforts in getting to the final of the Scottish Cup last season they have proved they are on track.”