a day ago
Kairat in visa boost for Celtic trip but suspension blow emerges
But the Kazakhstan side has received a boost after two of their star men were granted work permits for their trip to Scotland.
Celtic face Kairat in a £40 million shoot-out for a place in the league stages of the new-look competition, with the first leg at home.
But Kairat will have to do without former Torpedo Moscow and 25-times capped Belarus international Gromyko after UEFA confirmed he is suspended for the Parkhead clash.
Read more:
However, they have been granted UK visas for Russian international defender Yegor Sorokin and Belarus international Alyaksandr Martynovich after fears they would miss out because of red tape.
Kairat sports director Askar Yesimov said: "All of our players have now received visas.
"We started working on this issue even before the return match with Slovan Bratislava because we believed that we would advance further.
"Our Football Association and the Kazakhstan Ministry of Tourism and Sports have done a great job. UEFA also took control of the situation, so there were no problems.
"However, we have been informed by UEFA that Valery Gromyko cannot play in the first leg due to an accumulation of yellow cards."
