Celtic hope for Balde recovery

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill is confident defender Bobo Balde will be fit to face Lyon in their final Champions League Group A match.

The defender suffered a back injury in Saturday’s win at Livingston but he is expected to recover in time to take on the French.

His presence is vital as O’Neill is already without influential trio Jackie McNamara (arm), Didier Agathe (hamstring) and Alan Thompson (suspension).

PROVISIONAL SQUAD: Hedman, Varga, Balde, Mjallby, Gray, Miller, Petrov, Lennon, Larsson, Sutton, Marshall, Hartson, Maloney, Wallace, Kennedy, Beattie, Laursen, Valgaeren.