Celtic Manager Rodgers Furious Over Reo Hatate Knee Injury Against Aberdeen

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers expressed strong frustration after Reo Hatate was injured by a reckless challenge from Aberdeen striker Pape Gueye during Celtic's 5-1 victory at Pittodrie. The challenge, which occurred near the end of the match, left Hatate with a knee injury, forcing him to leave the field with an ice pack and prompting concerns about his fitness ahead of the upcoming Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen. Rodgers described the tackle as "needless" and "poor," criticizing Gueye for losing control and going through Hatate with a block tackle. Despite the injury setback, Celtic displayed a dominant performance, with first goals for Maik Nawrocki and Johnny Kenny, alongside strikes from Yang Hyun-jun, Luke McCowan, and Adam Idah. The match also saw Aberdeen reduced to 10 men after Alfie Dorrington was sent off. Rodgers praised the team's collective effort and structure, highlighting the joy of Kenny's breakthrough and the overall high level of play despite the injury concern.