Celtic injuries: Paulo Bernardo ruled out, James Forrest training

Celtic midfielder Paulo Bernardo is expected to be sidelined for up to five weeks due to an ankle injury. Meanwhile, winger James Forrest has returned to training, offering a glimmer of hope for the team. His return could provide a much-needed boost to the squad.

The Portuguese U21 international was injured in last weekend's Scottish Cup match against Raith Rovers and consequently missed the 2-1 Champions League play-off defeat to Bayern Munich. Bernardo's absence undoubtedly weakens the team's midfield rotation options, impacting their tactical flexibility.

Scottish forward Forrest is not yet fully ready to return to the first team, but he has begun running again as part of his recovery. He previously suffered a foot injury in the League Cup final against Rangers in December. Head coach Brendan Rodgers stated, "Paulo will be out for a few weeks. His ankle is in a boot, and it will probably be four or five weeks."

Rodgers added, "He has been a great contributor for us this season, and we have been trying to manage the squad and keep players fit through rotation. It's a pity he's going to be out for a period of time, but we have enough bodies in that area." Bernardo's absence will limit Rodgers' ability to rotate his midfield in Saturday's Scottish Premiership game against Dundee United, with the second leg against Munich coming up on Tuesday.

Rodgers stated, "There are one or two positions we will freshen up. You can't not think of Tuesday because of the turnaround. We know that in that game we will have to be at a real high physical level. But I also know we need a good physical level in the game on Saturday." Rodgers emphasized to his players that dealing with fatigue is an inevitable consequence of playing for a club competing for multiple trophies. He added, "Every game is important here. It's a really relentless schedule, but the players have been brilliant."

Rodgers also humorously remarked, "When [Odin Thiago] Holm first came in, I said to him his holidays of one game a week at [Rosenborg] are over! He knows what I mean now." This statement encapsulates the intensity of Celtic's schedule and the challenges faced by the players, highlighting the demands of competing at the highest level.