DEDRYCK BOYATA will undergo a scan after injuring a knee in Celtic’s goalless draw against Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic last night.
The Belgian international centre-half was forced to limp off at half-time following a clash with Josef Husbauer.
Boyata left the Eden Arena in crutches with his knee in a brace and must be a doubt for the Champions League qualifier against Linfield in Belfast a week on Friday.
Brendan Rodgers could be forced to improvise if the 26-year-old – forced out of last summer’s European Championships with hamstring trouble – is shown to have suffered ligament damage.
The Hoops boss is left with Jozo Simunovic and Erik Sviatchenko as his only recognised central defenders.
He admitted: “We’re unsure about Dedryck. We just need to see.
“Obviously, Dedryck has pain in the knee. It just looked like his touch got away from him. It was a block tackle. That can sometimes open up the ligament in the knee.
“When he put the weight on it he was in a bit of pain. We will see how it looks.
“He is a boy who has been plagued with injuries. When I came in last year, he was injured.
“Looking at it from experience, it tells me he probably will have a scan, just precautionary, so we can see what is up.
“Hopefully it isn’t too serious. There wasn’t a massive impact. It was two players coming together from a short distance away.
“The last thing he will want is to be injured for another part of the season with us. It’s an important season for us and for him with the World Cup Finals next summer.
“He will want to be in the best possible form he can be in. We will see how it is when we get back.
“I’m not overly-concerned. I have got Mikael Lustig who can play there. In European football Kieran Tierney can play there, Kris Ajer is coming back.
“But we will just see how Dedryck is and take it from there.”
NEW CQN PODCAST WITH SFA PRESIDENT ALAN RAE OUT NOW!
Episode 2 of ‘A Celtic State of Mind’ finds Paul John Dykes and Kevin Graham discussing a variety of topical subjects concerning Celtic Football Club, including:
* Callum McGregor: The Youth of Today;
* Death of the Cult Hero;
* Norwegian Wood – Ronnie Deila’s Exit Interview;
* Farewell to The Stone Roses;
* Hillsborough: The Truth.
Paul John Dykes also chats to SFA President, Alan McRae, to challenge him over recent comments made about Celtic’s domination of Scottish football.
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