Celtic have been dealt a major blow ahead of their crucial Champions League group-stage finale against Aston Villa, with Brendan Rodgers confirming that key defender Cameron Carter-Vickers will miss the match.
The USA international was absent from training on Tuesday, and Rodgers later confirmed his unavailability for Wednesday’s showdown at Villa Park.
Alex Valle, meanwhile, will not be available for the match either, with the Barcelona loanee set to undergo a medical at Serie A side Como on Wednesday. Valle’s loan at Celtic is being cut short to facilitate the move, with Barcelona and Celtic agreeing to terminate his deal earlier than planned.
Valle’s departure comes as Celtic prepare for Kieran Tierney’s confirmed return to the club, with Tierney’s pre-contract agreement completed and a potential loan deal for the remainder of this season still in the works.
Despite the excitement surrounding Jota’s return to Celtic earlier this week, the Portuguese winger will not feature against Aston Villa as UEFA registration rules prevent him from being included in the squad for the league stage clash.
Carter-Vickers’ absence means Brendan Rodgers will need to reshuffle his backline for this encounter. Liam Scales and Auston Trusty are likely to form the central defensive partnership, with Greg Taylor and Alistair Johnston on either flank.
The good news is that Cameron Carter-Vickers should be fine for the weekend against Motherwell. [STV]
