SADNEWS:New injury blow for Celtic as key duo ruled…
New injury blow for Celtic as key duo ruled out ‘for weeks’.
In another major blow to the team, Celtics teammates Cameron Carter-Vickers and Reo Hatate will both miss time due to injuries.
As they attempt to win the Scottish Cup and Premiership again, the Hoops will be without the two for about three and six weeks, respectively.
Hatate, a Japanese international, will be out for around a month and a half after being injured during their Asian Cup victory against Bahrain earlier this week.
The midfielder, who was an important part of Ange Postecoglou’s treble-winning team the previous season, hasn’t played much for the league leaders this year due to a number of injury issues.
Carter-Vickers, meanwhile, who has also experienced a number of injuries this season, will miss the next three weeks due to an injury.Meanwhile Hatate being sidelined could prove to be a source of frustration with fellow midfielder David Turnbull leaving for Cardiff City on transfer deadline day.
However Callum McGregor, Matt O’Riley and Paulo Bernardo have been the first choice three for Brendan Rodgers for most of this campaign.
Speaking to the press on Friday, the manager said on Hatate: “It looks like he has actually done both calves, from what I have seen, so he is probably going to be five to six weeks.
“Another part of this season where we have had no luck from an injury perspective to our top players. He will be back very soon and we will start treatment and get him back as soon as we can.”
The Celtic boss also confirmed he had prevented Lagerbielke moving on loan to Lecce after Carter-Vickers experienced further aggravation of recent injury problems after last weekend’s win over Ross County.
The centre-back has suffered several lay-offs this term with a hamstring problem after missing pre-season amid his rehabilitation from knee surgery.Rodgers said: “The medical team are saying probably around three weeks.”
Hatate’s injury did not prevent Celtic selling Turnbull, who had six months left on his contract to the Welsh club playing in the English Championship, and Rodgers explained that was a different circumstance to his defensive situation.
“It goes back to the summer, knowing where David was at in his thinking.
“Obviously he was in the last year of his contract so I felt it was best for us and for him to get out and play.“He has done well here. It hasn’t worked out quite how he wanted it to, but he is a good guy, he worked very hard and now he will have the chance to have a permanent place to play.”