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Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has eased injury worries about defender Alistair Johnston, who was forced off against Dinamo Zagreb.

 

The Scottish giants played out a 0-0 draw in Croatia against Dinamo Zagreb in a Champions League league stage encounter on Tuesday evening.

 

Rodgers saw his team dominate possession against the Croatians, but they were toothless in attack, managing just one shot on target.

 

 

Full-back Johnston was brought off at the halfway point in the game and there were concerns for him, especially given the Scottish League Cup final is this coming weekend.

 

Rodgers though has moved to ease injury worries and insists the issue with Johnston was not muscular, which is a positive.

 

 

The Celtic boss said via BBC Scotland: “It was his hip flexor, nothing muscular which is good.

 

“There was no need to risk it and all being well that will settle down in the coming days.”

 

 

While Celtic did not score in Croatia, Rodgers is happy to take the positive of a clean sheet and a good defensive performance, even with the disappointment of not winning.

 

“The positive is we’ve come away from the game defensively strong and didn’t concede.

 

“I thought we lacked quality in the final third. The pitch was a little bit tricky.

 

“We had great energy, good commitment.

 

“In the Champions League, if you get a clean sheet and take a point away from home and you’re not very happy, that shows how the team has progressed.”

 

Celtic are next in Champions League action now in January, when Young Boys are next up, the Swiss side visiting Celtic Park.