Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers delivers injury update on Scott Brown after a friendly win.
Speaking to The Scottish Sun, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has allayed fears over Scott Brown’s fitness ahead of the Champions League clash with Alashkert on Tuesday.
Rodgers’s side travel to Armenia next week for the first leg of their opening round of Champions League qualifiers.
Celtic go to Yerevan on the back of a morale-boosting win after the Hoops smashed Irish side Shamrock Rovers 7-0 on Saturday.
Club captain Brown has subbed off at half time and appeared to move gingerly during the victory in Dublin, prompting concern over his fitness for Tuesday.
However, Rodgers tells The Scottish Sun that he expects the 33-year-old midfielder to shake off what he describes as a “niggle”.
“Scott is okay. He had a niggle when we were away in Austria. It flared up a little bit. It was similar to last year when he came off but he should – and hopefully will – be fine for Tuesday.
“It’s a little issue behind his knee. It’s nothing overly serious and it just stiffened up.
“At this point in the season I always say to the players we are here to develop our fitness so not to take any risk with injuries.
“In another game he would probably have played on but there was no point risking it.”
Realistically, Celtic can see off the Armenian side with or without Brown, because they are much better, but that isn’t strictly the point.
This time two years ago, Rodgers lost his first competitive game to Lincoln Red Imps in another qualifier for Europe’s elite competition, proving that shock results can and do happen.
Brown scooped nigh-on every individual award available last season, underscoring his importance for the Hoops, and Rodgers’s side will be much better with him than without him next week.
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