The news from Bucharest on Liel Abada isn’t positive after the Celtic winger limped out of Israel training ahead of their match against Romania.
Israeli outlet One, reporting from the national team camp this morning, believes that an initial MRI scan has shown that Abada has suffered a serious enough thigh muscle injury to necessitate his return to Scotland.
It’s said that he has been diagnosed with a muscle tear, although it is not stated how serious that tear is. There are degrees to the severity of these muscle injuries that can keep players out for a couple of weeks, or a couple of months.
Celtic will want to get a look at the player with their own staff and medical services before officially updating supporters on a timescale.
However, you may remember Abada found himself in a very similar situation back in March when he was similarly withdrawn from Israel duty after a training muscle injury. He subsequently missed all of Celtic’s football in April, including two crucial derbies against Rangers.
The news means that the winger is not only a major doubt for next week’s match at home to Dundee, but also the opening Champions League match against Feyenoord in just 10 days’ time.
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Brendan Rodgers does have options on the flanks including Hyunjun Yang and new signing Luis Palma, as well as Daizen Maeda, but Abada will have been viewed as a crucial weapon for the manager to use at all levels. The sooner he is back the better.
Celtic looked to have turned a corner on the injury front after blows in defence for Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki and Stephen Welsh. This isn’t the kind of bad luck we needed just as our season is truly taking off.
In other news, Celtic hero shines alongside expensive midfield at int’l level.