Martin O’Neill has confirmed Celtic are unlikely to see Julian Araujo again this season after the defender suffered a fresh setback during his recovery.
The right-back had been working his way back from a thigh injury picked up earlier in the campaign. There had been some hope he could return for the final weeks, especially with the squad stretched in that area.
Instead, that timeline has now shifted. Araujo re-injured himself while continuing his rehabilitation at Bournemouth, leaving Celtic to plan without him for the split.
O’Neill admitted the news came as a blow, particularly given the timing and the lack of clarity around how long the issue could now take to settle.
He said: (Clyde 1 Superscoreboard), “Julian re-injured himself under supervision at Bournemouth so that was a real blow.
“I’ve only found that out today and so I don’t think we will see him for the rest of the season.
“I don’t know what sort of time element it is for his World Cup aspirations, I don’t know that, but certainly for us I don’t think we will see him again if it’s the same injury that he has redone.”
The impact is clear when looking at how Celtic use their full-backs. Araujo’s role in getting forward and supporting attacks has been a key part of the way the team plays. Without him, that balance changes.
It also places more weight on Johnston as he works his way back to full fitness. Throwing him straight into a run of games carries its own risk, especially after time out.
There is no easy fix. The run-in demands points now, not adjustments over time. Whoever steps into that role has to deal with both sides of the job, defending transitions and offering width going forward.
For Araujo, the focus shifts away from this season. Recovery comes first, and any return will now be aimed further down the line rather than the final weeks of this campaign.
