Kyogo Furuhashi: Ange Postecoglou expands on Celtic talisman's injury - 'it's not good'

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has confirmed Kyogo Furuhashi could face another spell on the sidelines after limping out of the Europa League victory over Real Betis on Thursday night.

Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi suffers an injury during a UEFA Europa League match between Celtic and Real Betis at Celtic Park, on December 09, 2021, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

The Japanese international forward picked up a hamstring injury after coming on as a substitute for Albian Ajeti who had suffered the same fate.

Furuhashi, Celtic’s top scorer this season with 14 goals, missed five games in September with a knee injury.

Postecoglou had planned to rest him as he made 11 changes to his starting line-up for the final Group G game with Celtic’s fate in the tournament already settled.

“We’ll see,” said Postecoglou when asked about Furuhashi’s injury. “Yeah, it’s not good. We’ll just wait and see what the assessment is.

“Obviously we were prepared to give Kyogo a bit less time tonight but with Albian also getting a hamstring, we’re just going through a bit of a rough trot which never seems to end. But we’ll cope.

“We’ve got a few injuries. But the amount of games we’re playing, it’s just ridiculous, to be fair.

“We don’t have the squad to cope with that at the moment. Luckily tonight we got some 90 minutes into players who will help us moving forward.

“Credit to the lads. They put in a massive shift tonight, quite a few of them haven’t played 90 minutes for quite a while.

“We went at them, had to fight hard. I’m pleased for the players who got their rewards. Especially the boys who started and haven’t played for a while, physically, the way we play our football, it’s not easy. I said to them after the game, that’s why they work hard every day.”

There was a subdued atmosphere for much of the night at Celtic Park as members of the Green Brigade fans group staged a silent protest against the mooted appointment of Police Scotland’s Bernard Higgins to a security role at the club.

“I don't think the fans are not onside,” said Posteocoglou. “They support us as they always do.

“I would prefer it as loud as it possibly could be, because that’s why they come to the game, to get on their feet and cheer the team.”

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