Celtic ace left out of Euros squad as legendary midfielder questions Man Utd star's inclusion

Denmark head coach Kasper Hjulmand has explained his decision to leave Celtic’s Matt O’Riley out of their squad for this summer’s European Championship finals.

The 23-year old has been in incredible form for the Scottish champions and finished last season with 18 goals and 13 assists in the league. Despite that, he won’t be heading to Germany with his international teammates and will have to wait to add to his two senior caps.

“Matt’s been a really good player, he’s had a great season,” said Hjulmand. “I’ve picked six players that we can move around a bit. It’s been at the expense of Matt, but it was a tough choice. I know he’s going to play a lot of international games. He couldn’t do anything differently.

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"I don’t want to say the most difficult choices, because I think there have been some difficult choices. I can’t just say three, because there are more than three who deserve to play. Matt O’Riley is one."

Seven midfielders have been named in Denmark’s squad for the finals with Manchester United playmaker Christian Eriksen and former Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund veteran Thomas Delaney amongst the more experience names. Joining them are Brentford trio Mathias Jensen, Mikkel Damsgaard and Christian Nørgaard along with Pierre-Emile Højbjerg of Tottenham Hotspur and Sporting CP’s Morten Hjulmand.

Former Celtic, Real Madrid and Everton midfielder Thomas Gravesen has also commented on Hjulmand’s selection. The 48-year old, who won 66 caps for Denmark during his playing career, blasted some of the choices.

“Hjulmand has selected the players he trusts, and then we are back to the same song as we usually do – he does not see the Superliga and the players who play at home,” he said (via the Scottish Sun). “He has again selected players who are not in shape, do not have rhythm and do not play on a daily basis.

“There are players I would much rather see in the national team than some of the players who have been injured or haven’t played at all. We have a player who has helped win the championship in Scotland and we have a player who has dominated the [Danish] Super League.

“I am of course talking about Matt O’Riley and Nicolai Vallys. Why aren’t they there? The two deserved a chance, but Kasper Hjulmand won’t give it to them. Many of the players who are abroad are sitting on the bench. They don’t play football. They are not in shape.

“Is [Christian Eriksen] at 80 percent? Or is he at 70 percent? Or 50? Or 20? We have no idea, because he doesn’t play, and that’s a problem. Christian Eriksen at top level is an exceptional player, but where is he at the moment?”