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Brendan Rodgers rues 'avoidable' Liel Abada Celtic injury as flight oversight leaves boss in Champions League frustration

The Israeli is facing a long period on the Celtic treatment table with Rodgers now in a Champions League conundrum

Brendan Rodgers reckons Liel Abada has suffered a painful lesson for being plane stupid after getting crocked with Israel.


Celtic have suffered a huge blow with the wide man ruled out until Christmas – meaning he’s set to miss the entire Champions League campaign. Rodgers revealed the 21-year-old ripped his thigh on international duty when he was taking pot shots at goal at the end of his national side work out.


The Hoops boss – who will have Reo Hatate back to face Dundee tomorrow – can’t replace Abada in his 25-man Champions League squad named earlier this week. And he admitted it was more frustrating as the injury was avoidable as Abada failed to get on board with the risks of shooting after flying long distances. Rodgers said: “It is what it is. There is an opportunity now for someone else to come in. It’s a shame for Liel because he did well over the course of pre-season and looked dangerous. He has qualities I like and qualities we can improve on.


READ MORE: Liel Abada delivers Celtic injury vow as lengthy road to recovery met with 'fitter and stronger' messageREAD MORE: Brendan Rodgers reveals why 3 new Celtic signings failed to make Champions League cut

“He was confident that he wanted to sign his new deal and continue his development. So to be out with something that you can actually control is the frustrating thing. Control as in ‘don’t do the shooting exercise at the end of training’.

Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi
Liel Abada and Kyogo(Image: SNS Group)

“I had this before with a young player Suso at Liverpool, who now plays at Sevilla. When you fly and then you land and go out to training, your legs are still full of pressure from flights. So when you are shooting and doing repetitive exercises that puts strain on them. It’s certainly something you can avoid, but young players see a net and they want to hit it. It will be a good learning experience for Liel going forward.”


Rodgers insisted he won’t be digging out Israel boss Alon Hazan – or any international manager for that matter.

He said: “Not really. I would never tell an international manager how to do his job, but if he wants to speak to me or come into training my door is always open. There is lots of collaboration between sports science and medical teams and federations. But I would never tell an international manager unless he called me.”

Abada said: “Unfortunately, I have just received the news that my injury will keep me out of the game for a longer period than expected. I am beginning rehabilitation and will work hard to come back fitter and stronger as fast I could so I can give my all to help the team achieve our targets.”


Rodgers admitted Abada was a Champions League set back – with his squad set in stone and wide man Marco Tilio waiting in the wings after returning to fitness. There is no Alexandro Bernabei in the 25 either and the Hoops boss said: “We can’t swap him out, that is the big frustration. Those were some of the things we had to think of.

“Marco Tilio would have been perfect to put in there now. But he is only coming back from an injury himself and we had to weigh up that aspect of it. The bottom line is that we can’t change it. It was about looking at the numbers. We have eight homegrown so that leaves you 17. It’s about weighing it all up and with injuries you have to think about guys who have been out for a period of time.”

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Rodgers has suffered rotten luck with injuries since his return in the summer but he can see some light at the end of the tunnel. He said: “It’s just about when to put them in and finding the right amount of game time. It’s great to have Reo back. Marco Tilio is back training but he missed pre-season so it’s about working him in.

“Cameron Carter-Vickers is doing very well – on schedule to be back early in October. Yuki Kobayashi is training as well so we are getting players back. It happens. It’s just unfortunate. I’d rather have them now.

“Going into our game with Rangers it was well documented about our injuries. But the glue that holds us all together is our personality and our organisation. When we have that, whoever represents the team will have those qualities. It’s just unfortunate but we have to deal with it. That’s why we have a squad.”

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Brendan RodgersCeltic FCLiel AbadaChampions LeagueCameron Carter-VickersReo HatateMarco Tilio
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