a day ago
Key Kairat Almaty star in Celtic sweat amid UK visa issue
Celtic meet the Kazakhstan side for a place in the league stages and play the first leg in Glasgow before a marathon 3,536-mile journey to Asia for the second leg.
But Kairat have a problem with their Russian international defender Sorokin, who will need a visa to enter the UK next week.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the UK government put in place a set of sanctions against the nation and its citizens and the Home Office only issued visas for Russian and Belarusian tennis players for Wimbledon after months of delay and they had to sign a 'declaration of neutrality' to be allowed entry.
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Kairat also have two players in their squad from Belarus - Valery Gromyko and Alyaksandr Martynovich.
Now Kairat will have to apply for special permission to get the Government to fast-track his visa application, but he's hopeful he will be allowed to play at Parkhead.
He said: "The general director of Kairat assured me that everything will be approved and the visa will be ready.
"I hope there are no problems with this and I am able to play in Scotland."
And the 29-year-old ex-Rubin Kazan star is determined to make history as Kairat aim to become the first team from Kazakhstan to reach the Champions League proper.
He said: "It is clear that we are not the favourites against Celtic.
"But that is why it will be easier for us. We will fight and do everything to advance. And how will it turn out? Time will tell.
"We want the world to sit up and take notice of Kairat Almaty."
