Glasgow Derby Preview – Brendan Rodgers gives Celtic squad update

The Celtic Star

·3. Mai 2025

Glasgow Derby Preview – Brendan Rodgers gives Celtic squad update

Brendan Rodgers yesterday gave an update on his squad ahead of tomorrow’s Glasgow Derby at Ibrox and not only confirmed our worst fears on the knee injury Jota picked up at Tannadice last Saturday, but gave us even worse news on the extent of Jota’s injury…

Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star).

Devastating news on Jota’s injury

Our Superstar from Portugal is going to be missing for six to nine months and realistically it’s going to be well into next year before he’s able to play again. Devastating for the player himself but also for the Celtic support who have been so thrilled to have Jota back at the club.

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Speaking at his media conference yesterday afternoon, the Celtic manager opened with the bad news on Jota plus a few other injury concerns around his squad ahead of the trip to Ibrox tomorrow lunchtime.

“We’ve got a few knocks,” Brendan Rodgers said. “Obviously Jota will be out and sadly for us and for him he’ll be out for a period of time, probably six to nine months. It’s the cruciate and it was worse than we’d hoped really, so he starts on his journey of recovery from that now, but somewhere between six and nine months.

Alistair Johnston. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star).

“Ali Johnston won’t be available, Ali’s been needing an injection into his hip”

“Ali Johnston won’t be available, Ali’s been needing an injection into his hip that he’s had for a period of time. To ensure he was ready for the cup final and in our preparation we decided that we would do that after the Dundee United game. So I picked him out of the game at the weekend and most probably the St Mirren game and that gives him a few weeks then to be ready for the cup final.

“Dane Murray had an issue with his knee and he’ll be out for the rest of the season and then be ready for pre-season.

Yang returns after elbow injury

Yang leads the celebrations. St Mirren v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Saturday 1st March 2025. Photo: Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“We’ve got Yang back, Yang’s back training with the squad so we’ll give him one more day tomorrow and then we’ll see if he’s going to be available for the squad.

“Daizen (Maeda) should be fine and Nicolas Kuhn was out (training), we’re just assessing him and a slight issue with his knee but he should be okay. We had the scan on that, it’s just a little bit of bruising but he should be okay,” the Celtic manager revealed.

Anthony Ralston set to start at Ibrox

Anthony Ralston of Celtic celebrates scoring to give Celtic a 5-1 lead. Celtic v Kilmarnock, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 12 April 2025 Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

Alistair Johnston’s place will be taken by the first pick Scotland right-back Anthony Ralston and that’s likely to be the case until the Scottish Cup Final on Saturday 24 May when Celtic will be looking to win the trophy for the third consecutive season to complete a month treble for the club.

But before that it’s all eyes on Ibrox for the Glasgow Derby with Summer Bragging Rights at stake, all that they have to play for after another season without a trophy, despite all their bluster.

Listen to Brendan Rodgers’ media conference below…

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