The international break could be coming for a good time for Celtic after a few niggling injury issues in defence forced absences vs Ross County on Sunday.
Cameron Carter-Vickers has been out for several matches now with a foot problem. The big defender is crucial to the Bhoys, and he’s been a big miss in that central area.
Greg Taylor, meanwhile, has been Celtic’s stalwart on the left flank but was forced to sit out the trip to Dingwall after picking up a calf injury against Borussia Dortmund.
With Alistair Johnston also nursing a back problem, albeit playing on Sunday, the two-week break will give the squad a chance to recuperate ahead of another busy schedule.
Rodgers is hopeful that he’ll soon have a full complement of fit players back to front in the Celtic squad.
Celtic return timelines for Cameron Carter-Vickers and Greg Taylor
The Celtic boss said in a press conference on Sunday: “Hopefully, they’ll be back. Alistair Johnston won’t go with the international team, so that gives us a chance to recover him because he’s been working very well.
“Cameron will join training later on in this week and then have a good week leading into Aberdeen. So that’s good.
“Greg will just have to wait and see. On that, I thought young Alex Valle had done well today. Especially in the second half, his positioning was a little bit better. But Greg, we hope he’ll be back. If he’s not for Aberdeen, then not long after that.”
Celtic will need to be full strength against Atalanta
The return match at home to Aberdeen is difficult enough. Like Celtic, they have a 100% record in the league and will be travelling to Glasgow to assert their credentials as a top team in the Premiership.
Celtic will need to be at full strength for the game against Atalanta. It’ll be another gruelling evening away in Europe, and the team has a point to prove after Dortmund that they are no easy opponents in the Champions League.
Carter-Vickers will be especially important to provide that defensive composure and it’s execellent news that he’ll actually be in training later this week, giving him plenty of preparation time.
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