As he is under 23, the winger is eligible to play at the Olympics and could have been involved in his nation’s qualifiers for the tournament in Qatar next month. It is not listed in FIFA’s official international calendar, though, and thus, Celtic has no obligation to release Yang.

He therefore won’t play in the qualifiers and rather, the 21-year-old will stay with his club ahead of the run-in (The Scottish Sun). Yang may well feature in the finals tournament – which runs from July 24 to August 1 – if South Korea qualify, meaning he would miss the beginning of the 2024/25 season for Celtic.

At the minute, however, such an issue is a worry for another day. Brendan Rodgers has bigger fish to fry, and having Yang locked in going into the final weeks of the season and not having another unavailability will give him peace of mind.

Although Nicolas Kuhn is coming into form on the right-hand side, Yang was on a sharp upturn before his red card at Tynecastle a few weeks ago.

The gaffer of South Korea’s under-23s is having to come up with a contingency plan in his absence. He said: [The Scottish Sun] “I will have a final meeting with the staff, but this is a difficult part.

“We need to come up with an alternative. I am also thinking about plan B.”

In addition to scoring a goal in the commanding 5-1 victory over Croatia, Bernardo also had the honour of captaining the Portuguese side during the match.

Taking to Instagram his post read “Great win to end the stage in the right way!”

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A post shared by Paulo Bernardo (@paulogbernardo)

Bernardo’s goal, his seventh for the Portugal U21s, came after an early hat-trick by teammate Pedro Santos and demonstrated his knack for finding space and finishing with precision.

His leadership as captain and his impactful play on the field highlight his growing importance to the team and his development as a player.

Back at Celtic, where Bernardo is currently on loan, his performances, including this latest international outing, are sure to be closely monitored.

With speculation about his future and potential permanent transfer to Celtic, Bernardo’s goal and leadership role for Portugal add to his appeal as a key talent Celtic might want to secure for the long term. His success on the international stage underscores his potential and the promise he could bring to Celtic if he continues to perform at a high level consistently.

After initially being overlooked, O’Riley was called up as a late replacement due to an injury within the team. He made his second appearance for his country as he came on as a substitute in the 60th minute for Brentford’s Damsgaard during the match, in which Denmark were leading 2-0 over the Faroe Islands.

https://twitter.com/DanishScout_/status/1772723228407964060

Despite the initial setback of not being named in the squad, his subsequent inclusion and cap underscore his readiness to contribute at the international level. This opportunity to represent Denmark comes amid a period of excellent form at Celtic, where O’Riley has been a standout performer.

Celtic’s valuation of O’Riley was put to the test in January when Atletico Madrid submitted an £18 million bid for the midfielder, a proposal that Celtic decided to reject.

As the summer transfer window approaches, it’s anticipated that other clubs may express interest in securing O’Riley’s signature, given his contributions to Celtic and his emerging international career with Denmark. His development and performances at both club and international levels will be keenly observed, especially as he aims to make a significant impact at the Euros and further enhance his reputation on the European stage.

McGregor, who is key for both club and country, wasn’t in Steve Clarke’s squad for the current international break. He missed the game versus the Netherlands on Friday and won’t play against Northern Ireland tonight.

For Celtic, the skipper hasn’t featured since the end of February. He is expected back post-international break, though, and Neil Lennon, who was McGregor’s boss during his second spell in charge of the club, thinks he will immediately return to the Scotland team.

The national side has two warmup games for this summer’s Euros in June against Gibraltar and Finland but things kick off against Germany in the tournament. Lennon reckons that despite missing out on the March squad, McGregor will seamlessly slot back in this summer.

He said: [PLZ Soccer] “In the opening game, Callum McGregor has to play in that game for me.”

Host Peter Martin backed up this viewpoint, predicting that the 30-year-old coming into the team will be one of a few changes for the Germany game from Friday’s: “I actually can only see one change in that team, maybe two. Maybe [Lyndon] Dykes coming in for [Lawrence] Shankland but [Ryan] Christie coming in for McGregor”, he said.

Whether it be for Celtic or Scotland, the quality of McGregor always shines through. He is a standout each time he plays for club and country.

He has uncharacteristically missed the past few weeks, but the quadruple-treble-winner faces an arduous end to the season amid a crucial title run in and hotly anticipated Euros.

Johnston and Canada confirmed their participation in the showcase event this week by beat Trinidad and Tobago in the playoff. Their reward – an opening match against Argentina!

The Celtic right back has earned the right to play against some of the best in the world this summer.

Before he heads off with Canada to the Copa America, there’s the small matter of a very tight title race where AJ and his teammates have to give their all to in the next 8 weeks to ensure the SPFL trophy stays in Paradise.

The bhoys are a point ahead in the league but have played a game more than Rangers. There are two derbies before the end of the season that will decide where this title goes. Johnston has shown he’s always been up for these matches and he’ll be looking to head to the Canadian camp in June as a champion.

Johnston could also play for Celtic in the US this summer if the dates don’t overlap. The bhoys are playing three pre-season games stateside in July.

During an away game at San Marino, Vata scored a remarkable second-half hat-trick for the Ireland U21 team, a feat that not only secured a victory for his team but also etched his name deeper into the ‘ones to watch’ category. Ireland won the game 7-0 in the end.

Vata’s exceptional performance takes his tally to an impressive five goals in just two appearances for the U21s, showcasing an innate scoring ability that few possess at such a young age.

Currently in the final stretch of his deal with Celtic, Vata has a crucial decision looming over his career. Despite Celtic offering him a new contract, speculation is rife that Vata might be looking to spread his wings and explore new challenges come summer.

While Daniel Kelly might have been the breakthrough player for Celtic this season, Vata’s recent outing with the Ireland U21s underscores a talent that refuses to be overshadowed. His departure could represent a significant loss for Celtic.

The winger, who is a Samurai Blue regular, started, and played the full 90, for his nation as they picked up a vital 1-0 win.

In the match, per stats provider FotMob, the treble-winner had the most tackles, drew the most fouls, and won the most duels. He played on the left wing throughout the game, debuting his new blonde hair:

https://twitter.com/yataoda4/status/1770758075827228824?s=61&t=-EvcrWONUQNm8QDtq6XzpQ

It was Hajime Moriyasu’s side’s first game since the disappointment of their Asian Cup quarter-final defeat to Iran at the beginning of last month. Things are now feeling more positive for Japan after such failure, with them leading their World Cup qualification group after maintaining a perfect record in their opening three games.

Next up, Japan face North Korea once again on Tuesday. Kick-off is at 8 am UK time, and from a Celtic perspective, hopefully, Maeda, who has started the past eight games for the Hoops, will come through unscathed.

Celtic have nine stars away on international duty, while there are many staying in Glasgow during the break. With Celtic hampered by injuries, it’s a good opportunity for Brendan Rodgers to get some training into the squad. The manager has also planned a bounce match.

Notably, captain Callum McGregor misses out on Scotland duty for only the second time in six years, and Cameron Carter-Vickers remains after a conversation between Rodgers and USA’s Gregg Berhalter about his injuries this season.

Luis Palma and Liam Scales were initially called up, but dropped out of their respective squads through injury.

Greg Taylor and Anthony Ralston are set to bolster Scotland’s defence in matchups against the Netherlands and Northern Ireland, pivotal games that could serve as a platform for their further involvement in national team affairs.

Alistair Johnston‘s call-up for Canada against Trinidad and Tobago marks another milestone for the player.

Matt O’Riley finds himself with another opportunity to impress Denmark’s setup ahead of the Euros, a testament to his form this season.

Daizen Maeda represents Japan in a unique double-header against North Korea.

Adam Idah‘s call-up for Ireland against Belgium and Switzerland is a chance for him to stake a claim at the international level, while Hyunjun Yang and Odin Thiago Holm‘s involvement in U-23 and U-21 teams, respectively.

Paulo Bernardo is involved yet again with Portugal U21s.

This call-up comes as a direct replacement for Brentford’s Christian Norgaard, who unfortunately had to withdraw from the squad due to an injury. At just 23 years old, O’Riley represents a vibrant prospect for Denmark, bringing fresh energy and perspective to the team.

O’Riley isn’t a stranger to the Danish national squad, having earned his first cap in a European Championship qualifier against Northern Ireland in 2023. Despite this being his only international appearance so far, his inclusion in the squad speaks volumes about the potential seen in him.

The young midfielder had an explosive start to the season with Celtic, showcasing remarkable and was arguable Celtic’s best player. However, despite a slight dip in form recently, O’Riley’s performances have consistently outshone several of his teammates. This slump has been a point of frustration for both the player and the fans, who have seen glimpses of his brilliance but long for more consistent displays of his talent.

O’Riley’s journey with Celtic this season has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. Initially setting the Scottish Premiership alight with his dynamic midfield displays, his slight dip in form has been noticeable. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that even in this period of fluctuating performances, O’Riley has remained a cut above many, maintaining a level of play that many of his teammates strive to reach.

The upcoming friendlies present an opportune moment for O’Riley to not only showcase his prowess on an international stage but also to regain his top form as Celtic heads into a crucial part of their season. With the European Championships on the horizon, a strong showing could cement his place in Denmark’s squad for the prestigious tournament.

First up for Matt is a pivotal league tie against St Johnstone on Saturday before meeting up with his international teammates.