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Tounekti will be gunning for Celts pals

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SEBASTIAN TOUNEKTI can't wait to get stuck into Celtic pals Benjamin Nygren and Daizen Maeda at the World Cup.

But the Hoops winger knows that, before becoming Group F foes in Mexico, the Tunisia, Sweden and Japan stars have serious business to attend to in Scotland.

Starting this afternoon in Dundee at Dens Park.

Tounekti returned to Lennoxtown on a high after netting his first Tunisia goal in the friendly win over Haiti.

And he was delighted to see Nygren help Sweden secure their World Cup spot with an assist in Tuesday's playoff final victory against Poland - a result that means the Bhoys duo will go head to head in Guadalupe on June 15.

Maeda's Japan are next up six days later before Tunisia face the Netherlands on June 26.

Fellow Parkhead pals Yang Hyun-jun, Auston Trusty, Kieran Tierney and Tony Ralston may also be destined for the greatest show on earth.

But Tounekti admits he's struggling to think about what lies ahead this summer.

Not when Celtic's domestic crown is on the line over the next six weeks. Ahead of this afternoon's trip to Dens, he said: “If you play for a club like Celtic you have a great chance to represent your nation.

“To have so many players involved in a massive summer is great for everybody.

"Everybody is looking forward to it - but there are still some months to go.

“We've so many important matches here that it's difficult to focus on it now.