In a press conference today, Brendan Rodgers reaffirmed the news: the Bhoys are currently awaiting word on the exact extent of his hamstring injury.
After turning in strong displays against Kilmarnock and Hearts on Wednesday night, it appeared as though the Japanese midfielder was finding his footing.
But Celtic does have strong midfield depth, and Hatate’s absence will give others a great opportunity to put together a run of reliable performances.
Paulo Bernardo will make his Celtics debut.
Portuguese aptitude The most obvious choice to step in for Hatate while he’s away is Bernardo. In his longest game as a Bhoy, he was the one selected to enter the midweek match against Atletico, and he did a good job.
Although he hasn’t yet started for Celtic after joining on a loan-to-buy deal from Benfica in the summer, Brendan Rodgers has said he is undoubtedly in the running to play a big role in the upcoming games.
Celtic TV quoted the Bhoys’ manager as saying, “It’s always disappointing when players are missing, especially players of that caliber.” But as a team, we are strong. Paulo makes his longest appearance, and I felt he handled it quite well.
“If Reo needs to miss any time, we have a lot of young players who can fill in. It always gives the guys who are putting in a lot of effort a chance to come in and play.
“You want any player, whoever they are coming in, to make the impression without having to force it. Take advantage of the opportunity when it presents itself; I don’t want them to feel under a lot of pressure that this is their only shot.
Paulo did that the other evening, for sure. He put in a ton of work, demonstrated quality in a high-level match, and had that little bit of bite in midfield. I felt he performed admirably.
“You want every player, regardless of who they are replacing, to make an impression naturally. When the chance arises, seize it. I don’t want them to feel like they have to work too hard or that this is their only chance.
Undoubtedly, Paulo did that the other night. He worked extremely hard, played well in a competitive game, and had a little bit of bite in midfield. I thought he did a great job.
Still, the manager is beginning to trust the Portuguese star. A possible run of games and his first start are rapidly approaching. We are about to discover his true nature.
