HE wasn’t registered to play in the Champions League this season.
But this former Celtic star was still involved in the action between Europe‘s elite when last week’s play-off clashes got underway.
He was a key player under Brendan Rodgers during the gaffer’s first stint[/caption]
He was on duty for last week’s Champions League games[/caption]
He just wasn’t on the pitch.
Instead, he was called in to provide his expertise on all the big eight matches, including three games which involved three of his former teams.
One of which, of course, being Celtic.
The four-time title winner at Parkhead would have had conflicted views regarding the second leg showdown in Munich last Tuesday having been an ex-Hoops star and being close friends with the manager of the Bundesliga leaders.
He played alongside him for years in the international setup and they even helped their nation finish third place in the 2018 World Cup.
But things now look very different for both Vincent Kompany and Dedryck Boyata.
One is managing one of the world’s biggest and greatest clubs.
While the other is currently weighing up his next move as a player after being released by another Champions League outfit last month – Club Brugge.
Boyata, 34, spent two-and-a-half years with the Belgian champions before parting ways at the beginning of the year without making a single appearance this season.
He wasn’t registered to play in the revamped competition this campaign by manager Nicky Hayen, but he did get the nod several times in the previous format.
He played five times for Celtic and three times for Club Brugge previously in Uefa‘s flagship competition.
But he was in amongst all the action last week once again – as a pundit for Pickx Sports.
He was employed as a pundit for the Belgian broadcasters last Tuesday as Club Brugge progressed with a shock 3-1 away win over Atalanta and Celtic suffered late heartache in Munich.
During the coverage he was quizzed about his relationship with Kompany and revealed his pride at seeing him in the dugout with the 2ix-time Champions League winners.
He said: “We grew up more or less in the same neighborhood, with the same background, let’s say. It’s a great pride to be able to see him at this level.
“We know that it is not easy to be a coach. representing Bayern like he does is just magnificent.”
He spoke about his legendary former team-mate while a picture of him in a Celtic jersey was displayed in the background.
Some would say Boyata’s time at Celtic was a controversial one.
The former Manchester City starlet enjoyed arguably the best form of his career under Brendan Rodgers and won eight trophies in Glasgow.
But things turned sour in the summer of 2018 when Celtic booted out a bid from Fulham for him, believed to be in the region of £9million.
That same week the Hoops faced AEK Athens in a crucial Champions League play-off and Boyata didn’t play after he told Rodgers he had an injury.
The Northern Irishman then claimed Boyata WAS in fact fit to play and refused to be involved over fears he could risk picking up a knock, amid the interest from down south.
Celtic crashed out of the competition without him and Rodgers expressed his outrage to the press.
The Green Brigade hit out at him with a banner at Parkhead[/caption]
The defender later revealed he confronted the manager over his claims and blasted any suggestions of feigning injury.
He also missed their Europa League stalemate with Suduva in Lithuania – despite training 24 hours beforehand.
Boyata didn’t end up joining Fulham after all and instead signed for Hertha BSC at the end of his contract.
The centre-back has been around the block in his career to date, having played in England, the Netherlands, Germany and his homeland Belgium as well as Scotland.
But he could have sealed his first move away from Europe just a few weeks ago.
Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri last month claimed Boyata turned down a two-year deal from Brazilian second division side Amazonas FC.
The reporter suggested the player wasn’t interested because he wishes to stay close to his family in Belgium.
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
