CELTIC have agreed to play Benfica in a money-spinning friendly in CANADA next month.

Tony Mowbray's men face the Portuguese giants in a glamour game in Toronto on September 2.
Organisers are set to announce the fixture within the next 24 hours but SunSport can reveal Celts chiefs have already accepted the invitation.
It's seen as a major coup as the Hoops look to boost their brand in North America.
The match falls during an international break with many of the club's first-team stars ruled out of the short trip.
Scotland play Macedonia at Hampden on September 5 and Holland just four days later.
But Celts will travel with a shadow squad after facing Hibs at Easter Road on Sunday, August 30.
The Benfica match will be at the 20,000-capacity BMO Field - where Mo Johnston's Toronto FC play their MLS matches.
Parkhead stopper John Kennedy headed to North America on Monday but there was nothing glamorous about his trip.
The jinxed star boarded a plane to Colorado for an operation which will decide if he ever plays again.
SunSport revealed on July 8 that Kennedy was booked to go under the knife for a seventh time - with his WHOLE season a write-off.
He will once again place his future in the hands of the world's leading knee surgeon Richard Steadman.
The trusted doc first opened up Kennedy's left knee in April 2004, but has already warned that there are no guarantees this latest bout of surgery will be a success.
It emerged from Parkhead sources that Kennedy - who will spend his 26th birthday next week in Steadman's clinic - is likely to have a further op in October or November.
He will have to endure a minimum TEN MONTHS of soul-destroying recovery.
Meanwhile, Kennedy's team-mate Lee Naylor is a transfer target for Alex McLeish at Birmingham.
Big Eck doesn't have a fit left back to call on for Sunday's opening Premier League showdown away to Manchester United.
<object classid="clsid27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="https://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=3,0,0,0" id="FLASH_AD" height="250" width="300"> </object><noembed>&lt;A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://ad.uk.doubleclick.net/click;h=v8/3886/3/0/*/w;216327551;0-0;0;28960694;4307-300/250;32851409/32869286/1;;~aopt=2/1/ff/0;~sscs=?http://servedby.flashtalking.com/click/10700;8833;68592;210;0/?g=05754508872101&amp;random=31037&amp;url=http://www.mariokart.co.uk"&gt;&lt;IMG SRC="http://servedby.flashtalking.com/imp/10700;8833;204;gif;TheSun;1SYNCROSMPU/?31037" BORDER=0&gt;&lt;/A&gt;</noembed> <noscript> </noscript><noscript></noscript>Naylor has also attracted interest from Portsmouth and faces an uncertain future after Celtic signed Danny Fox from Coventry.
But McLeish has former Liverpool and Portsmouth left back Gregory Vignal on trial and knows the Frenchman from a loan spell at Ibrox.
He said: "Before Gregory became availabile we inquired about one or two other things so, out of courtesy, I have to see them through."



Mogga is out to milk Canada dry | The Sun |Home Scotland|Scottish Sport|SPL

 

Good give the fans over there a chance to see the bhoys and give the whole squad a wee workout

 

Nice.

When the * are we gonna play a glamour friendly against Real Murcia?

(*sighs disconsolately...)

 

i just noticed you were from spain i always thought you were from airdrie

 

I am, I mean A'm ur, from Airdrie ya ungeographied numpty ye.:bbpd:

 

dafty no numpty ya spud eh a mean onion :bbpd:

 

any ideas ow to track down tickets for this in the celtic end?

 

Dont really see the need to be going all the way to Canada ti play a game during the season but at least all the Bhoys across the water get a chance to see the lads and it is a bit of money i suppose but i dont see why this couldnt have been arranged for the summer.

 

Supposed to be playing Cork City FC here in Ireland at the end of Aug/Sept.

 

Kennedys career is over

 

i dont think its a great move. right in the middle of the season and long journey to play a friendly, At least the canadian will see the bhoys in action

 

this is a load of bollox...dragging the players half way round the world for a friendly in sept!

 

Ugh, Canada?

Move the game down to at least Washington DC. It would still be a 5-6 hour drive, but I would do it.

I will never be able to watch Celtic live.............

 

Screw Toronto come to Vancouver
I'm mad cause i havent seen Celtic play live since 2003.
But oh well next year I'll be back at celtic Park watching the mighty hoops batter the * outta some team.

 

Considering the cheapest ticket for Toronto FC vs. Real Madrid last week was $125, this one is a steal!

I am going to the match, can't wait! I actually think it will be a good show of football, despite a lot of the first team players being absent.

There are a lot of players on the fringe right now that are trying to impress Mogga, so this will not be your typical kickabout friendly - lot of players will be fighting for a place in the first team.

Any idea what players will be available for this? Looking forward to seeing Donati for sure (if only to tell him how awesome it was when he scored against Shaktar).

 

My wife and I are flying in from Dallas for the game and we're really looking forward to it. It'll be her first time seeing the hoops so, B-team or not, it should be a good day out. Any news as to if the team will be doing any PR gigs while they're in town?

 

kl

 

Got 4 tickets today in 107 row 1 (Celtic section). Banner design is underway!!

 

We will be making the drive to T.O. (just down the 401) for the game, and I can not wait for it! I couldnt' believe it when they announced that Celtic would be traveling to Toronto in September. I thought someon had lost their mind honestly! But I'll take it.
This will only be my second chance to see the Hoops play (last time was in Toronto in 03 against Roma) and I don't care if half the team will be made up of the ball boys and physio staff, we'll be there to cheer them on.