Celtic star shortlisted for best defender of the year award, up against Benfica player

 

Celtic defender Mikael Lustig has made the shortlist to be named the best Swedish defender of 2016. The 29-year-old has been impressive form for club and country this year.

Expressen have revealed the nominees for this year’s Football Gala awards, and Lustig has been included among the best defenders, along with Benfica’s Victor Lindelöf, and FC Krasnodar’s Andreas Granqvist. Lustig will find if he’s been successful when the awards are televised in Sweden later in the month.

Another award which Celtic’s Lustig will be in the running for is the Golden Ball, which has been dominated by Manchester United star Zlatan Ibrahimovic in recent years. The forward again is likely to be the favourite to pick up the award after his key role in PSG winning Ligue 1 last season, and also helping Sweden qualify for Euro 2016.

Lustig signed for Celtic from Rosenberg in 2012, and has gone on to make over 80 appearances in the SPL. Since arriving at the club the Swede has won the league four times and the Scottish Cup on one occasion. Lustig has 55 caps for Sweden, but has been ruled out of Friday’s crunch match with France due to injury.