Johnston Faces Celtic Recovery or Canada Training Choice

Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston faces a choice between accelerating his injury recovery at the club or joining Canada's national team for training during the upcoming international break, as the 27-year-old defender nears a return to competitive action after months on the sidelines.

Johnston, who has not played since October 2025, was included in Canada coach Jesse Marsch's squad for friendlies against Iceland and Tunisia this month. The matches serve as preparation for Canada co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite his selection, Marsch confirmed Johnston will not feature in the games. Instead, the plan is for him to train with the team and reintegrate with the group, providing leadership and building fitness after missing recent international windows. "Neither will feature in any of the friendlies this month," Marsch said of Johnston and teammate Moise Bombito. "They'll train with the team and be around the group, with the hope being that they'll return to action for their clubs in the coming weeks."

Johnston's injury troubles began in August 2025, when he was stretchered off during a Champions League qualifying match against Kairat Almaty. He underwent hamstring...