Ange Postecoglou has brilliant news on injured Celtic defender
Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Kilmarnock v Celtic - Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, Scotland, Britain - April 16, 2023 Celtic players in a huddle before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Kyogo Furuhashi and Alistair Johnston appear to be winning their battle to be fit for Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final.
Both players were taken off injured last weekend as Celtic beat Aberdeen 5-0 before collecting the SPFL Premiership trophy.
Kyogo looked to have suffered an ankle knock while Johnston, returning after four weeks out of action pulled up and went off after 64 minutes.
Without question when fit both men go straight into Ange Postecoglou’s Starting XI with Cameron Carter-Vickers and Aaron Mooy the only regulars that won’t make it to Hampden.
First comment
Kyogo is progressing. He hasn’t trained yet. The plan is to get him out there tomorrow (Friday) and see how he goes. He is doing some individual stuff this afternoon. He always is, but he is still pretty bullish about playing so we will just see how he goes. Johnston is fine, he has trained all week and Haksabanovic is back in so he is available as well. The only real absence is Aaron Mooy.
Daizen Maeda missed the Aberdeen match through suspension, his return and that of Haksabanovic gives Ange Postecoglou a full compliment of wingers to select from.
Most of the Hampden side probably picks itself with the exception of central defence where either Tomoki Iwata or Yuki Kobayashi will play alongside Carl Starfelt.