NOT TO ALARM CELTIC FANS… BUT IT’S A FULL-BLOWN INJURY NIGHTMARE FOR RODGERS BEFORE HEARTS FIVE STARS OUT, SEASON-DEFINING TEST AWAITS.
NOT TO ALARM CELTIC FANS… BUT IT’S A FULL-BLOWN INJURY NIGHTMARE FOR RODGERS BEFORE HEARTS FIVE STARS OUT, SEASON-DEFINING TEST AWAITS.
Celtic head to Tynecastle this weekend facing a potential season-defining test and Brendan Rodgers will have to do it with a heavily depleted squad. Five first-team regulars are sidelined with injuries, leaving the Hoops forced into a major reshuffle for a game that could shape the Premiership title race.
Victory would move Celtic within two points of the league leaders, but defeat could leave them trailing by eight a gap that would put immense pressure on Rodgers and his patched-up squad. The stakes could not be higher.
The biggest blow came during Thursday’s 3–1 Europa League win over Sturm Graz, when Cameron Carter-Vickers limped off with a serious Achilles injury. The centre-half, widely regarded as the backbone of Celtic’s defence, is expected to be out for up to five months.
Rodgers confirmed the news after the match, telling Sky Sports:
“He looks like he’s done his Achilles, which could be anywhere between three and five months. We just await confirmation of that. It’s not great news. Cameron’s been a very important part of the squad and a great centre-half for the club.”
Carter-Vickers joins Alistair Johnston, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Jota on the sidelines, while Daizen Maeda remains a major doubt. With so many absences, Rodgers faces a challenge unlike any other this season.
Despite the injury chaos, Rodgers praised his side’s midweek performance in Europe, calling it a potential “turning point” for the season. Celtic dominated Sturm Graz, blending intensity and composure to secure a vital win that could give the squad the confidence needed for Sunday.
“I thought we were brilliant,” Rodgers said. “Under pressure, you can either make progress or crumble. The players showed real character. Performances like that can spark belief throughout the squad.
To cope with the injuries, Rodgers is expected to make five changes to the starting XI. Auston Trusty will replace Carter-Vickers at centre-back, partnering Liam Scales, while young full-back Colby Donovan steps in for Johnston at right-back. Marcelo Saracchi is expected to replace Kieran Tierney, who may be rested after two consecutive 90-minute games.
In midfield, Paulo Bernardo comes in for Reo Hatate to freshen the engine room alongside Callum McGregor and Gustav Engels. Up front, Johnny Kenny leads the attack in place of Iheanacho, flanked by Wilmer Nygren and Bryan Tounekti.
It’s a new-look Celtic side one filled with uncertainty but also opportunity. Rodgers has called on his players to embrace the challenge, reminding them that champions often rise when adversity hits hardest.
Sunday’s match isn’t just about three points. It’s about proving Celtic’s depth, character, and resilience in the face of real crisis. A win at Tynecastle would send a statement that the Hoops, no matter how battered, still have the heart of champions.
PREDICTED CELTIC XI VS HEARTS
SCHMEICHEL; DONOVAN, TRUSTY, SCALES, SARACCHI; MCGREGOR, BERNARDO, ENGELS; NYGREN, KENNY, TOUNEKTI.
