Canadian international fullback Alistair Johnston had hamstring surgery on Tuesday following a setback in his recovery from injury. The 27-year-old, hailing from Aurora, Ontario, sustained the initial injury during Glasgow Celtic’s Champions League match against Kazakh side Kairat Almaty on August 20. Although he made a comeback against Austria’s Sturm Graz on October 23, his time on the field was short-lived, lasting only 23 minutes.
Johnston, who has represented Canada in 56 matches and played a pivotal role under coach Jesse Marsch, shared the news of his surgery through a social media post. Expressing his gratitude for the support received during this challenging period, he expressed hope that the surgery would mark the beginning of the end of his injury woes.
His Celtic teammate Callum Osmand also underwent hamstring surgery, leading Celtic’s interim manager Martin O’Neill to acknowledge that both players would face an extended period of absence. O’Neill revealed that Johnston’s surgery was prompted by scan results indicating significant damage, including a tear in the hamstring.
With Johnston sidelined, Marsch faces the absence of several other key players in preparation for upcoming November friendlies against Ecuador and Venezuela. The injured list includes notable names such as captain Alphonso Davies, Moise Bombito, Sam Adekugbe, Jacob Shaffelburg, Liam Millar, and Luc de Fougerolles.