Anthony Ralston training boost ahead of Celtic’s trip to Red Star Belgrade

Anthony Ralston has returned to training ahead of Celtic’s Europa League opener against Red Star Belgrade at the Stadion Rajko Mitic on Wednesday night.

The 26-year-old right-back has missed the last two games for the Hoops as well as a Scotland’s World Cup qualifying double-header with a foot injury but was back among his team-mates at Celtic Park on Tuesday morning.

After Celtic won through to the Premier Sports Cup semi-final with a 4-0 win at Partick Thistle on Sunday, Brendan Rodgers confirmed that Ralston would train ahead of the trip to Belgrade.

But the Parkhead boss stressed that he had to battle for his place with 19-year-old Colby Donovan, who had deputised for the Scotland international and long-term injury victim Alistair Johnston in recent weeks.

Celtic dropped down to the Europa League after being knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers by Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan.

Red Star Belgrade are one of European football’s best known names.

They lost over two legs to Borussia Monchengladbach in the 1979 UEFA Cup final, a 1-1 draw at home followed by a 1-0 defeat in Dusseldorf.

The Serbian outfit won the European Cup – the forerunner of the Champions League – in 1991 with a 5-3 penalty shootout victory over French side Marseille after a goalless draw in Bari, Italy.

Vladan Milojevic’s side were knocked out of Champions League qualifiers this season by Cypriot outfit Pafos but their domestic form has been impressive.

Red Star beat Partizan 2-1 at the weekend and after seven-successive wins since the start of the league season, they sit two points clear of their city rivals at the top of the Serbian SuperLiga, having played one game fewer.