Canadian national team fullback Alistair Johnston has undergone surgery on his hamstring following a setback in his recovery from an injury. The 27-year-old, hailing from Aurora, Ontario, sustained the initial injury during a Champions League match between Glasgow Celtic and Kairat Almaty on August 20. Although he made a return against Sturm Graz on October 23, he could only manage to play for 23 minutes.
Johnston, who boasts 56 caps for Canada and has been a pivotal player under coach Jesse Marsch, shared the news of his surgery on social media. Expressing his gratitude for the support he has received, he mentioned that the surgery marks the first step towards overcoming this challenging period and returning to full fitness later this season in pursuit of both domestic and international success.
His Celtic teammate Callum Osmand has also undergone a similar procedure, with Celtic’s interim manager Martin O’Neill confirming that both players will face a lengthy spell on the sidelines. O’Neill revealed that Johnston’s surgery was necessary due to a tear detected in his hamstring following a scan, expressing disappointment at the loss of a talented player.
In addition to Johnston, Marsch is currently without several other key players for the upcoming friendlies against Ecuador and Venezuela in November. The sidelined players include captain Alphonso Davies, Moise Bombito, Sam Adekugbe, Jacob Shaffelburg, Liam Millar, and Luc de Fougerolles.
