The reason why Celtic defender was ‘bombed out’ by Brendan Rodgers after missing team meeting

Celtic launched their quest for three-in-a-row with a routine 4-2 victory over Ross County on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season last weekend - but there was a couple of notable omissions from Brendan Rodgers’ matchday squad.

When the Hoops’ team news was announced on their official social media channels at 11.15am, supporters were left questioning the absence of two first-team players.

Montenegro international Sead Haksabanovic was not included amid rumours that the winger’s agent had informed him to start looking for a new club owing to a lack of game time.

Rodgers has acted decisively to extinguish any instances of unprofessionalism since his re-appointment as manager earlier this summer - as left-back Alexandro Bernabei found out before the top-flight curtain raiser last Saturday.

The fiery Argentine, who has made the headlines for the wrong reasons on several occasions since arriving from Lanús in his homeland as part of a £3.75million deal last summer, was ‘bombed out’ of the first-team squad to face the Staggies by Rodgers as a matter of discipline after failing to turn up on time for a pre-match team meeting.

It’s claimed Bernabei had slept in, leaving the Northern Irish boss fuming as a result, and it has been made clear to the player that a lack of punctuality won’t be tolerated. To heighten the issue further, various reports suggest it’s not the first time since Rodgers returned to Parkhead that players have allowed their discipline to slip after a few ‘minor incidents’.

The Daily Record report Rodgers has outlined that he demands the highest standards from his squad at all times, with Bernabei now facing an even tougher battle to dislodge first-choice left-back Greg Taylor from the starting line-up.

The 22-year-old played only 13 league games during his debut season and was involved in a city centre incident in August last year after being accused of drink-driving. He spent the night in police cell after stating to have been more than twice over the limit, with the club subsequently taking ‘appropriate action’.