SOCCER:FREDDIE LJUNGBERG could make his debut for Celtic in the Old Firm derby against Rangers this Sunday.
Celtic signed the former Arsenal and Sweden midfielder yesterday after he passed a medical and the 33-year-old will be officially unveiled at a news conference today.
The terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but it is believed Ljungberg has signed until the end of the season, with a view to extending the deal if the move is successful.
The winger made 328 appearances, scoring 72 goals, in nine years at Arsenal as the London club enjoyed numerous domestic successes. Since 2009, he has been playing in the USA, first for Seattle Sounders and, more recently, for Chicago Fire.
With Scott Brown suspended and South Korea duo Cha Du-ri and Ki Sung-yueng away on international duty, Ljungberg could make his debut against Rangers.
Meanwhile, Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist is “very hopeful” about Steven Naismith’s chances of winning his fitness battle ahead of the Old Firm derby.
The Scottish champions have been sweating over the midfielder’s availability since he pulled up with a hamstring injury in the league game at Motherwell on St Stephen’s Day.
“It was a little bit worrying watching Naismith pulling up at Fir Park, but it hopefully looks to be just a spasm,” said McCoist. “It’s a bit early to say he will be 100 per cent for the Celtic game, but we are very hopeful he will be involved.”
While Rangers also look set to be boosted by the return of James Beattie and Kyle Lafferty, Celtic will be without captain Scott Brown following a red card against Motherwell on Wednesday.
Yesterday, Rangers unveiled plans to remember the 66 people, including an eight-year-old boy, who lost their lives on January 2nd, 1971 at the end of an Old Firm game when fans were crushed on stairway 13 as thousands of supporters were leaving the ground.
Rangers’ game against Celtic at Ibrox this Sunday is 40 years to the day since the disaster. The teams will be led out by John Greig, who captained Rangers in the 1971 derby, and Billy McNeill, the Celtic captain of that era.
Lisbon Lion Jim Craig expects Celtic fans to fully respect the minute’s silence at Ibrox.
“I have no doubt that the minute’s silence will be religiously observed,” said Craig, who played that fateful day. “I’m confident because Celtic fans have been through a number of these and have rarely let us down. I don’t think there will be any problem with that at all.
“It is still a seminal moment in Scottish football. If you look through the history of the game, there was a disaster in 1902 and then another in 1971.
“They are so rare that they are memorable. So the fans will only be too happy to take part in a minute’s silence and commemorate an unfortunate occasion. But thank God it’s now being played in a stadium which can accommodate the crowd safely and I think it will be a great occasion.”
