Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata is set to miss the club’s crucial Champions League qualifying ties after being ruled out of action through injury, according to La Derniere Heure.
The Belgian newspaper claim on their website that the Hoops will be missing the 26-year-old centre back for at least six weeks in what is a shattering blow after scans revealed he had ruptured a ligament in his knee.
The injury was sustained just before half time during Celtic’s friendly clash with Sparta Prague, and he failed to return for the second half.
Celtic’s European campaign kicks off on the 14th of July with a trip to Belfast to take on Linfield, before the return leg at Celtic Park five days later.
Boyata, who has three caps for Belgium, played a crucial role in the second half of the campaign on the way to the Hoops’ domestic treble and unbeaten season, after a thigh injury ruled him out of the opening half of the fixtures.
He ended up making 22 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with five goals from the heart of the defence, and will be hoping to be fully fit when the Scottish Premiership kicks off on August 5.
Since joining from English side Manchester City in the summer of 2015, Boyata has gone on to make 64 appearances for Celtic across all competitions, and is contracted at the club until the summer of 2019.