Canadian international fullback Alistair Johnston had to undergo hamstring surgery on Tuesday following a setback in his recovery from an injury. The 27-year-old, hailing from Aurora, Ontario, initially sustained the injury during Glasgow Celtic’s Champions League match against Kairat Almaty on August 20. He made a comeback against Sturm Graz from Austria on October 23 but had to leave the game after just 23 minutes.
Johnston, who has represented Canada in 56 matches and has been a crucial player under coach Jesse Marsch, shared news about the surgery on social media. He expressed his struggles over the past few months and his optimism about the successful surgery to mend his hamstring, hoping it marks the beginning of the end of his injury ordeal.
Fellow Celtic player Callum Osmand also had hamstring surgery, with interim manager Martin O’Neill mentioning that both players will be out for an extended period. O’Neill noted that Johnston’s surgery was necessary due to a tear revealed in a recent scan, causing a delay in diagnosing and addressing the issue.
Coach Marsch is facing the absence of multiple players heading into the November friendlies against Ecuador and Venezuela. The sidelined players include captain Alphonso Davies, Moise Bombito, Sam Adekugbe, Jacob Shaffelburg, Liam Millar, and Luc de Fougerolles.