Celtic’s Marcelo Saracchi was a loan signing out of nowhere.
The left-back, who has also played for RB Leipzig, Galatasaray and River Plate, joined the Hoops on loan from Boca Juniors in August.
He has an impressive career CV, and with much of his performances, his top-level experience has shown. Frustratingly, he has been held back by injury.
An 11-time Uruguay international, Saracchi captained his country for the first time in October and will be desperate for a place in Marcelo Bielsa’s squad for next summer’s World Cup.
But looking beyond next summer, it doesn’t look like he has a future at his parent club, given the way he is being spoken about in the Argentinian media.
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Celtic’s Marcelo Saracchi subjected to media attack
Saracchi found himself out of favour at Boca, behind Lautaro Blanco in the pecking order.
Tragically, just six weeks after Saracchi joined Celtic, the club’s manager Miguel Ángel Russo died after losing his battle with prostate cancer.
READ MORE: Celtic coaching staff question answered as Wilfried Nancy ally makes decision on future
Russo had made the decision to leave Saracchi out of the squad after Boca’s elimination from the Club World Cup.
And for club legend Beto Marcico, he was right to do so. The ex-Argentina midfielder attacked Saracchi and two of his Boca teammates in no uncertain terms.
He said: “I spoke with Marcelo [Boca sporting director] and I told him he had to get rid of the three players who were contaminating the dressing room – Rojo, Lema and Saracchi.
“When you have people like that in a locker room, they make you bad. They contributed to a toxic atmosphere in the dressing room and the club – all three had to go.
“At a club like ours, you must have a healthy dressing room.”
Marcico’s words are quite something.
Saracchi’s performances in a Celtic shirt were mostly positive, but he had to be withdrawn in the first half of a 4-0 win over Kilmarnock due to a hamstring injury.
He made his return against Hibs at Easter Road three weeks later, but in just his second game back, the injury happened again, and he currently isn’t even in the UK.
Would you take Marcelo Saracchi at Celtic permanently?
Celtic’s injury issues
Saracchi isn’t the only Celtic player to have had a recurrence of a muscle injury this season – in fact, he’s one of three.
Alistair Johnston is usually robust physically, but after an injury sustained against Kairat Almaty in August, he faced two months on the sidelines… only to immediately get injured again on his return against Sturm Graz.
Kelechi Iheanacho was injured in the same game, and after starting Sunday’s League Cup final, he too was withdrawn with the same muscle injury in the first half.
There are certainly questions to be asked over Celtic’s management of players’ minutes and recovery time, given the emerging pattern.
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