ANGE’S MESSAGE TO CROCKED TRIO

ANGE POSTECOGLOU has warned his injured players they MUST prove their fitness if they have a chance of playing in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden a week today.

Filipe Jota, Reo Hatate and Liel Abada did not make the matchday squad for the frustrating 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Parkhead yesterday.

The champions are 13 points ahead while they await their fixture schedule tomorrow after the Premiership split.

NO FLAGGING…the Celtic fans are right behind Reo Hatate and his race to be fit for Hampden.

The League Cup has already been claimed for the second consecutive crusade and now the focus switches to the last-four encounter against Michael Beale’s outfit at the national stadium.

The Hoops beat the Ibrox side 2-1 at the same venue with a double from Kyogo Furuhashi in February to lift the first silverware of the campaign.

Hatate has been missing since limping off after only 13 minutes in the 3-1 win over Hibs on March 18, Abada hasn’t figured since returning from the international break with an injury sustained in training and Jota sat out the 4-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park last weekend and the Well stalemate.

All three will be scrutinised at Lennoxtown in the countdown to the semi-final and Postecoglou, speaking to theScottish Sun, emphasised: “We will see with the boys who didn’t play against Motherwell.

THE CUP THAT CHEERS…Liel Abada plants a kiss on the newly-won League Cup.

“They are all pretty close, but they need to train all week to be available.

“We will see how they all are.”

Captain Callum McGregor, scorer of the Hoops’ goal against Well, would welcome back the trio and added: “Not having top-class players can hinder you and we do miss guys like Jota and Reo at the top of the pitch.

“But the squad is strong and we have always found a solution.”

STALEMATE AFTER McGREGOR STRIKE