Martin O'Neill breathes a sigh of relief as key Celtic duo spotted in training ahead of Europa League decider
There were fears that Celtic would be without two players who both play in the same position for the Utrecht showdown.
Martin O’Neill has been dealt two injury boosts ahead of their European clash with FC Utrecht, with a defender returning for the first time since his first spell.
The Hoops will host the Dutch side on Thursday night, in what is a do or die Europa League fixture. Celtic currently sit 24th place in the League Phase table, meaning as it stands they’d sneak into the last knockout place, however they’ll need a win at Parkhead to secure progression without relying on other results.
In Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Hearts, Kieran Tierney came off injured for Dane Murray in the 73rd minute in what was a heart-in-mouth moment for Hoops fans, given that other left back Marcelo Saracchi has been sidelined for two months. Despite this, a development from Lennoxtown has eradicated any anxiety.
Saracchi and Tierney spotted in training
In an injury boost double-whammy, both Tierney and Saracchi were spotted training with the squad today. With the lengthy sideline for the Uruguayan, Celtic have been reliant on Tierney to play more minutes than normal at left back given his fitness record. The Hoops don’t have any other out-and-out left backs at their disposal in the Europa League squad, therefore if both were out it would’ve caused O’Neill a real headache.
Saracchi’s last match for The Hoops was O’Neill’s last game in charge during his first spell in the 1-0 home win over Dundee, where he further aggravated a recurring hamstring problem. The 27-year old has been a big miss for The Hoops, having looked defensively astute and a threat going forward in 11 appearances to date.
Kelechi Iheanacho was also seen at Lennoxtown as he continues to get back to full fitness. With new signing Tomas Cvancara not in the European squad, the Hoops are a bit short on number nines. While Iheanacho may not be able to get through a full 90 minutes himself as he’s just coming back from injury, it’s a promising sign for O’Neill nonetheless.
What Martin O’Neill said about Iheanacho
In his pre-match press conference O’Neill said: “obviously Hatate will miss the game because he’s suspended and we’ve got some of the lads coming back. We’re okay, we think. There’s a couple of knocks here and there that the boys are having to get over but we’re okay.
When asked specifically about Iheancho he responded, “yes he’s trained and he will be available for selection.” The Nigerian already has an impressive goal record for Celtic and has a healthy knack of scoring in big moments, including an equaliser against Red Star Belgrade and last minute winner at Kilmarnock, however with his recurring injury record his minutes going forward will need to be managed.