The bad news keeps coming and the latest is that Reo Hatate has been injured on international duty while playing for Japan in the Asian Cup…
Football: Asian Cup Japan’s Reo Hatate weighs up his options in the second half of a group stage match against Indonesia at the Asian Cup football tournament at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Jan. 24, 2024.
Yet more clouds have cast over Celtic Park and Lennoxtown with the news that Reo Hatate limped off injured for Japan with what looks like a recurrence of the calf injury that has kept him out the past few months. The midfielder went down clutching his calf in the Asian Cup clash with Bahrain.
The look on his face told its own story, it looks like a bad one, one that could keep him out for a further few months. Of course we don’t know anything or definite until it’s properly diagnosed, but with the way things are going at the moment, the feeling is that the prognosis won’t be good.
Reo Hatate celebrates after he scores his team’s opening goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on October 07, 2023.. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
This is a massive blow to Brendan Rodgers and the Celtic supporters. Reo Hatate on form is the most technically gifted player in the country, and to lose his services for the most vital part of the campaign will be a huge dent to our hopes of retaining the Scottish Premiership title and the Scottish Cup.
It was said that the return of a fully fit Reo would be like a new signing, but after today’s news we will need a new signing to replace him. Or maybe the club will keep David Turnbull after all, or tell us what has happened to Tomoki Iwata, who seems to have disappeared completely after limping off against Feyenoord in mid-December, never to be mentioned again.
Fingers crossed that this latest injury is nothing serious and if his Asian Cup campaign is over he should be on the first plane back to Glasgow.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
Since we started the site, The Celtic Star has always supported Celtic Pools in order to provide funds to the Celtic Academy to produce the Celtic Stars of the future. And so many Celtic Star readers have signed up with multiple winners of some big prizes coming through via the Weekly Lottery which costs just £1 a week. It’s easy to join and help The Celtic Star help the Celtic Academy, just click on the image below…
Help raise funds for Celtic Youth Academy by playing the Celtic Pools Weekly Lottery and you could win up to £25,000. The lottery is just £1 per week.
