Celtic’s first game of the 2024 Summer Tour of the USA will be against DC United on the 21st of July.
With three games scheduled, Brendan Rodgers will also take on the might of Manchester City and Chelsea as he prepares the Bhoys for the new season ahead.
City’s Erling Haaland and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer await Celtic as Rodgers knows the Premier League clubs are set to give his team a stern test.
But the Celtic gaffer shouldn’t, and won’t, write off the MLS side as an easy game because they have dangerous players of their own Rodgers will need to worry about.
Celtic must be wary of Cristian Benteke
Cristian Benteke was once one of the most dangerous strikers in Europe in his prime.
With 173 goals in over 500 career appearances, the 33-year-old certainly knows how to find the back of the net.
But don’t let his age fool you because the former Aston Villa, Liverpool and Crystal Palace striker is enjoying some red-hot form at DC United.
Benteke netted twice and created an assist in last night’s 3-2 away win at Minnesota. 2-1 down with just minutes to play, the former Belgium international teed up Aaron Herrera’s 89th-minute equaliser before he himself pounced to knock home a 95th-minute winner to seal the three points.
That double took the DC United captain’s total to 16 goals in 21 appearances this season and Cameron Carter-Vickers and co are going to have to be at their best to keep the shackles on a super-confident Benteke.
Of course, Brendan Rodgers knows all about Benteke from his days at Liverpool when he used to manage him at the Premier League club after paying £32.5m for him in 2015.
Indeed, Celtic have their own players who can cause the MLS side some problems. Kyogo Furuhashi, Luis Palma, Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley will be determined to put on a show for the American Celtic fans and show DC United exactly why they have been the Scottish Champions for three seasons in a row.
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