We continue our season review of Celtic in 2018/19 with a look at Celtic’s number 20 Dedryck Boyata.
It has been a bittersweet season for Celtic when it comes to centre-back Dedryck Boyata. He played a part in helping the Hoops win the ‘treble treble’.
AEK Athens saga casts shadow
But he will mostly be remembered for not playing in the Champions League qualifiers against AEK Athens which saw the Hoops crash out of the competition.
Brendan Rodgers claimed that Boyata was fit to play in the second leg of the tie, which he missed. However, Boyata disputed this.
It looked like his Hoops career was over. However, the club turned down a reported £9 million offer from Fulham for the player in August, and he forced his way back into the side.
Turning down bid was big mistake
The rejection of the Fulham bid was a mistake, as Boyata has left the Hoops on a free transfer to join Hertha Berlin.
If you focus on matters on the pitch, then Boyata had a more than respectable season. His partnership with Filip Benkovic played a big part in helping the Hoops retain the title.
However, the AEK Athens game will be what Boyata’s final season is remembered for. The Fulham saga won’t have helped matters much either.
Still, Boyata did help the Hoops win nine domestic trophies in a row. For that, he deserves the club’s appreciation.
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