Celtic midfielder and first team mainstay Olivier Ntcham has confirmed he is ruled out of the club’s clash against Dundee on Wednesday as doubts mount over his fitness after an injury blow.
The 22-year-old was forced off at half time in the 3-0 win over Hearts in their League Cup semi final with a hamstring injury, and with a game just three days later, he will have to sit it out and watch his teammates from the sidelines.
However, while he is hopeful over a swift return against Hearts over the weekend, he has admitted that there are doubts over whether he will be able to make it as the severity of the blow remains unclear.
He told the Daily Record: “I hope to be fit in time for next weekend but I don’t know. I am quite happy with how I have begun this season and I want to come back quickly.”
Opinion
Ntcham is one of the first names on the team sheet when fully fit and so missing him will be a big blow to Brendan Rodgers and his men, especially if he is missing for the clash against Hearts after the Dundee clash. Yes, the Hoops might have blown away the table toppers in the cup showdown but things can be very different in a league outing, and the Bhoys will be desperate to make the most of their home advantage to further reel in the table toppers. With a hamstring injury, it would seem overly optimistic to expect Ntcham to make a return in a week, unless it was a very minor tweak, and as such the fans should expect to see him sitting on the sidelines for a little bit longer than he, or anyone at Parkhead, would have hoped. Still, this is part and parcel of football and it is up to Rodgers to earn his salt and find a way to overcome this setback.