Euro Boost as Kayal and Wilson have successful training session

Euro boost for Celtic as Beram Kayal and Kelvin Wilson come through training ahead of Sion clash

BERAM KAYAL and Kelvin Wilson last night handed Neil Lennon a boost ahead of Celtic’s Europa League crunch against FC Sion.

The crocked pair came through the Hoops’ final training session in the Stade Tourbillon and now look odds on to make tonight’s do-or-die play-off second leg in Switzerland.

Kayal’s ankle knock and Wilson’s dead leg will be assessed this morning.

And if they suffer no reaction to last night’s full workout, Lennon will pitch them straight into this evening’s showdown.

Striker Gary Hooper also trained with the squad but is still struggling with his twisted ankle and remains a doubt.

Lennon knows the importance of the clash against Sion but insisted his position wasn’t under threat regardless of the result tonight.

The Parkhead manager is confident he can ride out the storm caused by drawing with the Swiss at home prior to losing against St Johnstone in the SPL last Sunday.

Lennon was seriously questioned by the fans for the first time on the back of those results but doesn’t believe the Celtic hierarchy share the fans’ disappointment.

He said: “The match with Sion’s a very important one for me on a personal level. But I don’t feel any pressure from up above.

“I want to see the team play better, particularly in the final third of the pitch, but it’s still early in the season.”

Kayal was injured playing for Israel and Wilson also missed the first leg against Sion due to a problem picked up in training before the Swiss earned a goalless draw at Celtic Park.

But both looked to be working flat out last night while Lennon was tight-lipped on the question of who would be in his team.

He said: “There’s no guarantee about anyone. We’ll be checking for any reaction in the morning.

“I wouldn’t gamble with the fitness of any player if there was a risk of them doing any long term-damage.”

A day of brilliant sunshine gave way to rolling thunder as Celtic trained immediately after landing in the small Swiss town.

The weather provided a dramatic backdrop to a tie the Hoops need to win to restore their damaged standing in European competition.

Last season’s qualifying round defeats in the Champions League and the Europa league, against Braga and Utrecht respectively, have left Lennon looking for third-time lucky while trusting in ability and not fate to pull his side through to the group stage.

He said: “Our general performances have been OK but we’re not taking the chances to score that the team’s creating.”

Hooper, Celtic’s top scorer last season, missed the home leg against Sion and doesn’t look likely to take any part in tonight’s match due to his ankle injury.

Lennon has had little luck on the injury front but reports from Honduras say Emilio Izaguirre’s set to resume training in two months time, much earlier than was first anticipated.