Callum McGregor has revealed that the volume of matches that he has played in led to a break down.
The midfielder played his 54th match of the season away to Valencia and suffered a calf injury which forced him to miss four matches.
At Dundee on Sunday he was back alongside Scott Brown as Celtic earned the points to go 10 clear at the top of the SPFL.
A win in the Glasgow derby on March 31 will bring the finishing line into sight and perhaps allow Neil Lennon to give McGregor a well deserved break.
Explaining his injury to the Daily Record the midfielder said: “I played a lot of games and sort of broke down but it’s brilliant to be back and to return with a victory.
“I just want to play. I probably wasn’t meant to play as long as I did but it’s good to test it and see how it is and I feel okay.”
McGregor is currently in Kazakhstan preparing for an international double header.
The plastic pitch that Scotland will play on on Thursday is an obvious concern for someone returning from injury but Sunday’s match against San Marino should provide an easier setting to stretch his legs and regain match fitness for the Glasgow derby a week later.