Celtic centre-back Carl Starfelt has delivered an Instagram update to supporters after being stretchered off for Sweden against Slovenia on Thursday night.
Starfelt was making his first competitive start for his country in their Nations League encounter away from home. It looked all but certain that he was going to stake his claim for a place in the starting XI. However, in added time at the end of the first-half, Carl pulled up and needed to be taken off with a suspected hamstring injury [Daily Record].
It remains to be seen if he’ll be fit for pre-season or indeed the start of the Premiership campaign. But Starfelt has confirmed that the injury has ruled him out of the rest of the international games this week:
Now, the focus turns fully over to the recovery process for the big Swede after a morale-draining injury on international duty.
Starfelt was a key cog in Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic team last season. He made 49 appearances and was the first-choice centre-back alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers [Transfermarkt].
With the Premiership season due to kick off at the end of July, there will be plenty hoping Starfelt can shrug off his injury well before then.
Carl Starfelt robbed of his big Sweden chance; time to hit the reset button
You have to feel for Starfelt when you take everything into consideration here. This was his big opportunity to show Janne Andersson what he was all about. Chances are he would’ve started a lot more than just the Slovenia game.
But he won’t get the chance to do so now after his hamstring blow. It’s almost a bad joke for the centre-back given injuries to positional rivals such as Victor Lindelof, Marcus Danielson, and Filip Helander respectively.
However, it’s all about hitting the reset button and going again. Let’s not forget that Starfelt is guaranteed Champions League football next season with Celtic.
Should he manage to be a regular part of our UCL campaign, that’s got to automatically keep him in Andersson’s plans. And if he performs well? Goodness knows what that would do for his international career.
For now, Ange Postecoglou will simply be hoping that Starfelt gets back on the horse and is able to get himself fully up to speed before the season begins.
That’s the only important goal the player will be looking at.
In other news, Report: Scott Brown ready to sign player just days after being released by Celtic
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