Jota in training but CCV misses out…Alex Valle’s medical is booked for Wednesday ahead of his move from Celtic to Como…

Returning hero Jota was pictured earlier today in training at Lennoxtown, just 24 hours after his move from Rennes, but Cameron Carter-Vickers was absent, leaving supporters sweating over his fitness.
✅ Jota training with team-mates
❎ Carter-Vickers misses outThe latest from Celtic training as they prepare for tomorrow's Champions League clash against Aston Villa ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/hOIvGpQQ5S
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) January 28, 2025
CCV has had his injury woes this season
With a clash against Aston Villa looming tomorrow night, the last thing we need is an injury to arguably our most important player. CCV has had his injury woes this season and supporters will be hoping it’s something trivial that’s seen him absent from training, and not a fitness issue.
While the game against Villa is not a deciding factor in our campaign, we still have an outside chance of qualifying automatically if we pick up what would be a memorable win in Birmingham. What a win there will do is push up up to the seeded teams in the qualifiers and should ensure we get a more winnable tie than is very likely to be the case if we fall to our second defeat in our eight games.
Celtic weaker than last Wednesday
To get something positive from Villa Park we will need to have our strongest starting XI available and that would certainly include CCV. With Kyogo leaving, and Daizen Maeda suspended we are already weakened, so the odds will be extremely stacked against us if CCV fails to make the squad.

Auston Trusty and Liam Scales would have to step up and put in the same type of performance they did in Bergamo against Atalanta if we are to get a result in Birmingham, and while I don’t doubt they wouldn’t do a great job, we are all hoping CCV will be available.
Celtic team as things stand could look like this
As things stand the Celtic team could be Schmeichel; Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Taylor; McGregor, Engels, Hatate, Kuhn, Idah and Yang. Taking CCV, Kyogo and Maeda out of the team that started last week against BSC Young Boys clearly makes us weaker.
Maybe Brendan will play the way we did in Atalanta or maybe he might go with a diamond midfield and two up front – Kuhn and Idah. (Jota is ineligible for this match but can play in the play-offs).
Fabrizio Romano confirms Alex Valle has a medical tomorrow ahead of signing for Como
We’ll have to wait and see. One player who won’t feature is Alex Valle, who has left Celtic and has a medical in Italy tomorrow as he gets set to sign for Como, as Fabrizio Romano has reported.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
🔵⚪️✈️ Alex Valle’s medical at Como will take place on Wednesday, green light also from Barcelona. pic.twitter.com/An0IqMTEee
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 28, 2025
🏃 The Celts completed their final training session at Lennoxtown today before travelling south to face Aston Villa in the #UCL.
➡️ Swipe to see the training highlights and full photo gallery!#AstonVillaCeltic | #CelticFC🍀
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) January 28, 2025

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