Celtic have been handed a major injury scare in the form of Camilo Duraán ahead of their tricky-looking Europa League clash with Benfica on Thursday night. The Bhoys will be clear underdogs in Portugal, and not just because they have struggled against any and all decent sides they have played this season.
Benfica have a team full of quality, and it showed in their opening game in this competition, when they beat AC Milan away from home.
Marco Silva's men trail Porto in the league, but they will be expected to be in the thick of the title race while also likely fancying themselves to go far in this competition.
In short, Celtic will need all the help they can get in the Portuguese capital, and injury issues will not help. Martin O'Neill is already likely to be without Cameron Carter-Vickers, who missed the weekend's clash with Motherwell.
O'Neill said it was unlikely Carter-Vickers would return for this game, and so it has proved, with the defender remaining absent from trainingahead of the team's trip to Lisbon later on Wednesday.
But in a fresh blow, Durán has also missed the last session on home land, likely meaning he is a doubt for the game. Durán played and scored against Motherwell on Sunday, and there was no clear sign of an injury picked up in that game.
We don't know why Durán missed the session, and there could be a non-injury related reason, but fans are understandably concerned by the absence.
Celtic need their best players to not only play but to have good games against Benfica if they are to have a chance of bringing home a point or more, and losing Durán would be a big blow.
Durán missing the game would likely mean Haissem Hassan starts on the right-hand side, while James Forrest is also an option there. Durán offers quality, but he also offers a high level of workrate and intensity that few others offer, especially in that front line.
O'neill said of Duran after Sunday's win: “I don’t think (there were any lingering doubts from previous defeats). Obviously, the first goal is very, very important. Brilliant. Camilo, back to his best, so that settles everybody down.”
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