Scott McDonald is baffled by Brendan Rodgers’ decision to leave Odsonne Edouard on the bench for Celtic’s Europa League showdown with Valencia on Thursday night.
The Hoops go into the round of 32 game after losing the first-leg 2-0 at Parkhead, so they need to score at least two in order to stand a chance of progressing to the next round.
As confirmed by Celtic’s official Twitter account prior to kick-off at the Mestalla, Oliver Burke starts up and Edouard is on the bench.
And ex-Celtic forward McDonald cannot get his head around Rodgers’ decision.
“With Edouard. Really strange one that, why he’s not playing,” said McDonald on BT Sport ESPN on Thursday night [05:20pm].
OPINION
You have to agree with McDonald here. Celtic need goals against Valencia and Burke showed in the first leg that he is way out of his depth when played up front against the Spanish giants. Burke is a right-sided winger who can play up front when needed – he is not natural in the centre-forward role at all. It surely would have been better for Rodgers to start both Burke and Edouard up front together but either way, Edouard needs to be on the pitch. The Frenchman is Celtic’s most expensive player in their history and for him to be on the bench, behind a player who is on loan from West Brom, is surely a bit embarrassing for him. Burke had a shocker in a season and a half at The Hawthorns and his only goal for the Baggies came against Luton Town in the Carabao Cup. If he couldn’t cut it in the Premier League or Championship – what chance does he stand against Valencia in the Europa League?