Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer will most likely require surgery on the broken eye socket that he suffered in the 0-0 draw with Livingston on Sunday, Brendan Rodgers has confirmed.
The Hoops dominated for the majority of the game with Ajer back in the starting line-up, but they were unable to find a way through a resilient Livingston side who also had their fair share of opportunities.
However, the 6ft 5in [Transfermarkt] centre-back fell to the ground in agony after colliding in the second half, which meant he was replaced by Filip Benkovic – and Rodgers has now revealed that could undergo surgery on the injury, which could mean a stint out of action.
“He’s broken his eye socket so it’s a really sore one and he’s in a lot of pain. He’s probably going to need surgery which is a shame for him,” Rodgers said, as quoted by the Daily Record.
OPINION
Ajer did not have the best of games for Celtic against Livingston on Sunday, and he proved to be largely ineffective when it came to corners. However, his possible spell on the sidelines will still be a major blow for Rodgers, as it means he will have less depth when it comes the centre-back position. Benkovic is not usually first choice at the moment, but it looks like Rodgers will have to rely on him to fill Ajer’s shoes if he is out for a long time – a scenario which he may have been trying to avoid. Benkovic will have to make the most of Ajer’s potential absence, as he is not likely to be afforded a chance to shine otherwise. The fans will not be too worried about Ajer maybe being out for a while, as some of them even accused him of being asleep on the pitch due to his lack of involvement defensively