Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that neither Liel Abada nor Aaron Mooy travelled with his Celtic squad to Germany for the test against RB Leipzig.
Carl Starfelt was already known to be missing out on the UEFA Champions League match, while Cameron Carter-Vickers was always facing a late fitness test.
The Celtic boss shared in a press conference yesterday evening that all four will miss the Group F encounter, having not been on the plane with the rest of the squad.
Encouragingly, one who did make it was Giorgos Giakoumakis, who has returned to training after picking up a knock on international duty with Greece.
Mooy is said to have picked up a ‘niggle’ in training, while Abada is believed to be missing this one as the match falls on Yom Kippur – a Jewish holy day.
Thankfully, none of them will be long-term absences. Carter-Vickers is expected back in training imminently, while Starfelt is only a week or two away himself.
It all means that Stephen Welsh and Moritz Jenz will be the likely defensive partnership at the back, while Daizen Maeda or Sead Haksabanovic will get an opportunity on the wing in place of Liel Abada.
Oliver Abildgaard can also play in a central defensive position, but it would be a big ask for him to be dropped in there for such a big game so early in his Celtic career.
It’s a big night for Celtic, and while these absences will add to a bit of supporter trepidation, hopefully, the players believe they can pick up a positive result and really build into this group.
In other news, Axed defender goes into Ange Postecoglou dynamic at Celtic.
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