News of Alistair Johnston’s injury setback is just typical of this jinxed Celtic campaign that can still however produce a sliver lining by retaining the title and lifting the Scottish Cup…
RB Leipzig’s Antonio Nusa against Celtic’s Alistair Johnston. Champions League, Celtic 3-1 RB Leipzig. Celtic Park, 05.11.2024. Photo IMAGO / motivio
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Celtic suffered yet another set back with the news that Alistair Johnston is set for another spell on the sidelines, after pulling up with what’s believed to be a recurrence of hamstring injury that’s plagued his campaign during a training session with the Canadian national side.
AJ is a vital part of our side, and news of his return was most welcome in a time of great uncertainty, so to say this news is devastating is an understatement.
Julian Araujo holds the Celtic badge at Ibrox. theRangers 2 Celtic 2. Sunday 1st March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou
An updated timeline of the Canadian’s absence is at present unknown, but it’s unlikely that he will be fully fit come the post split fixtures, and with doubts surrounding the timescale of Julian Araujo’s return, it’s a huge blow to our already slim title chances.
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That leaves us with only Colby Donovan who also has his injury woes, and Anthony Ralston as the only two options for the right back berth, and with neither player filling any of us with great confidence, we are going into a vital part of the campaign in very much a fragile state.
Colby Donovan injured at Tannadice. Dundee Utd v Celtic. Sunday 22 March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou
However Donovan is at least fit after he too picked up an injury in our last game up at Tannadice in that costly 2-0 defeat. Donovan didn’t have a great game in a match where Anthony Ralston was overlooked in favour of Luke McCowan when Donovan limped off. This meant Reo Hatate having to drop back to right back, a costly decision as Hatate was at sixes and sevens as Dundee United doubled their lead.
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Losing Johnston, along with Jota and Cameron Carter Vickers to long term injury has weakened us greatly, as all three players are mainstays of our squad. We’ve also lost key players such as Arne Engels, Kieran Tierney, Marcello Saracchi, Callum McGregor, Auston Trusty, at various stages of the campaign due to a mixture of injury and suspension, and it’s very much blighted our campaign.
Even young Callum Osmand who was starting to impress was struck down with a long term injury to further compound our woes. He could be back tomorrow which is one positive at least as he looks very much like a striker with an eye for goal, something Celtic has missed since Kyogo was allowed to leave 15 months ago with our any replacement ever being brought in by Michael Nicholson and his fellow ‘World Class in Everything We Do’ boardroom colleagues.
This entire season has been cursed for some reason or another. Key players aren’t able to contribute, and the ones who are on the field aren’t doing the business. It’s been an absolute dreadful campaign from the word go. One we will all be glad to see the back of but before then we have to find a way to retain our title and lift the Scottish Cup. Mission Improbable more than Impossible so where there is hope we will do our best to back Martin and the players.
Then we must review things in the summer, collectively as a support.
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