Celtic will be without Cameron Carter-Vickers for their upcoming match against St Johnstone, as confirmed by manager Brendan Rodgers.
The 26-year-old U.S. international defender is struggling with a metatarsal injury below his big toe, an issue that has been troubling him for some time and was painful during the recent match against Bratislava, but he’s been playing through the pain.
Carter-Vickers missed Celtic’s League Cup quarter-final victory over Falkirk and will now also sit out the Scottish Premiership clash this Saturday. Looking further ahead, his participation in next Tuesday’s Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund remains uncertain. Rodgers expressed concern over the defender’s condition, noting that while the focus is currently on managing his pain and recovery day-by-day, it’s “difficult to tell” whether he will be fit in time for the European fixture against Dortmund.
Rodgers told the media, “He’ll miss tomorrow. He’s got pain on his big toe, so we have to look at that each game. He’s been playing through it for a little while but we’ve got to try and manage it now because he was in pain in the Bratislava game. Hopefully, it settles down quickly and we’ll see where it’s at for Tuesday.
“It’s difficult to tell [whether or not he’ll be ready for Tuesday]. Concentrating on this game and we’ll see where he’s at on Sunday and Monday.”
🍀 “He’s been playing with it for a little while, but we’ve got to try and manage it now…”
Brendan Rodgers says Cameron Carter-Vickers will miss Celtic’s match vs St Johnstone with a foot injury ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/AvTNSxm7rG
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) September 27, 2024
Hopefully, it’s not too severe, and CCV can play through the pain on Tuesday, he’s a massive player for Celtic, especially on European nights.
In his absence, Celtic may look to Auston Trusty and Stephen Welsh, both of whom started against Falkirk, to fill the gap in the defensive lineup. Maik Nawrocki, who played as a substitute in the League Cup match, is another potential option for Rodgers as the team adjusts to the absence of one of their key players.
