Moussa Dembele still on penalty duty for Celtic

Moussa Dembele netted against Morton in midweek. Picture: SNS

The 20-year-old French striker had the chance to level from the spot against Barcelona in their opening Champions League Group C match when Brendan Rodgers’ side were trailing 1-0.

Dembele, who went into the game having scored a hat-trick in the 5-1 trouncing of Old Firm rivals Rangers, won the penalty when was brought down by Marc-Andre ter Stegen but had his shot saved by the Barca goalkeeper before the home side ran riot with a 7-0 win.

The former Fulham forward, however, will have his hand up if he gets another chance from the spot against Killie.

“Yes, I will take the next one,” he said.

“Sometimes you score, sometimes you miss.

“When you miss a penalty you just have to think about scoring the next one and forget about the last one. It has happened to everyone.

“There is not one player who hasn’t missed a penalty and you have to focus on the next one and make sure you score.”

Dembele has led the line for the Hoops in the past four games after Leigh Griffiths succumbed to a hamstring problem and then a calf injury.

The Scotland striker returns to the squad this weekend and Dembele, who, with eight goals is one ahead of Griffiths in the scoring charts, believes they can play in a partnership, saying “for me to play alongside him would be a good thing and we have done it already.”

He also believes both players will push each other on to the benefit of the team.

“I would say a friendly competition, the team comes first,” he said.

“If I can score I will score, if I can give the ball to Leigh I will give it to him.

“In a team you need players who compete (between) themselves and having Leigh here is a good thing for me.

“It will make me a better player and him a better player so it is good for the team.”

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