Celtic forward, Kelechi Iheanacho suffered an early injury during his side’s 2–1 Europa League victory against Sturm Graz, Thursday night, and will likely be out for a few weeks.
Iheanacho was forced off in the fourth minute and replaced by Johnny Kenny after appearing to twist his ankle.
Manager Brendan Rodgers later confirmed that Iheanacho’s injury was to his ankle, while Alistair Johnston also picked up a knock during the match.
“The first two don’t look great,” Rodgers said. “It looks like a hamstring, but that’s what happens. The two young guys who came in did really well.”
Despite the setbacks, Celtic dominated much of the contest and secured all three points. Liam Scales and Benjamin Nygren found the net for the hosts in an impressive team performance.
Rodgers Praises his players
“I thought the performance was outstanding. As disappointed as we were at the weekend, I thought that was a really, really good level.
“We picked up injuries early on, so that could have disrupted it. The two young guys who came in worked their socks off and contributed to the performance.
“We went behind to an absolutely brilliant goal, but I just thought throughout the game we looked really creative and had lots of opportunities to score more goals. Everything you want in a team the tempo, the speed, the aggression, the energy everything was there against a good side.”
Also read: Iheanacho Rescues Celtic, Rodgers Sings new Forward’s Praise
The Celtic boss also reflected on the response he demanded from his squad after a poor domestic result.
“Sometimes with players you have to be harsh to be clear, and then you hope that you get that reaction.
“These players know that I’m with them always. I spend my life dedicated to making this team better, making the individuals better, helping the club progress. And at the weekend, it wasn’t good enough.
“So tonight, we weren’t quite the Ferrari, but we were Range Rover Sport, I’ll go with.
“Hopefully we have no more Morris Minors in the performance. Not that they’re a bad car they’re a fantastic car but I think we showed the level of determination, and that’s what I expect to see going forward.”
Celtic will now turn their attention back to domestic action as they prepare to face league leaders Hearts.
Rodgers’ side know they must win to close the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership table, but they will have to do so without their main striker Iheanacho, who is expected to miss out through injury.
