Daniel Arzani stretchered off in Celtic debut, in danger of missing Socceroos’ Asian Cup campaign

SOCCEROOS star Daniel Arzani’s hopes of featuring at the Asian Cup appear bleak, even if initial fears that the winger has torn his anterior cruciate ligament prove overblown.

Daniel Arzani in action during the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Picture: Toby Zerna

UPDATE: SOCCEROOS star Daniel Arzani’s hopes of featuring at the Asian Cup appear bleak, even if initial fears that the winger has torn his anterior cruciate ligament prove overblown.

Having collapsed 18 minutes into his debut for Celtic, Arzani was waiting to hear the results of tests to know whether the Celtic medical staff’s initial prognosis of a ruptured ACL proves correct and leaves him facing a nine- to 12-month recovery period.

Arzani himself is said to be clinging to the hope that the injury could be a torn meniscus and possibly damage to the medial collateral ligament – a combination likely to sideline him for two months.

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That would take the brilliant young winger to the brink of the Asian Cup with little or no game time under his belt, with the Socceroos gathering in Dubai seven weeks from now to prepare for their defence of the trophy.

Arzani was carried off the field after getting injured against Dundee, and appeared to get to his feet and wave to fans, giving Celtic supporters some optimism that the injury is not as bad as feared.

Nonetheless Arzani is likely to require surgery whatever the scans show, and if it is the ACL damaged then he would face between nine and 12 months on the sidelines.

Daniel Arzani after injuring his knee. Picture: BeInSports

Daniel Arzani is stretchered off. Picture: BeInSports

Cruelly the injury came in Arzani’s first game for Celtic in the Scottish Premier League, having only joined on loan from Manchester City in August in the wake of a hugely promising World Cup, and was a key part of Socceroos boss Graham Arnold’s long term plans.

Though coach Brendan Rodgers initially played down the severity of the incident, it threatens to be a huge blow for the most exciting talent to pull on the green and gold for years.

The silver lining for both player and country, should the worst fears be confirmed, is that qualifying games for the next World Cup are likely to start several months later than usual, because the tournament itself will be held later.

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The 2022 World Cup in Qatar is scheduled to run some five months beyond its usual start, because of the heat in the Arabic summer, meaning the Asian Football confederation is planning to start qualifiers near the end of next year, rather than in June.

Such a timeframe would give Arzani the chance to be fit and playing by then.

Nor will he be short of players to turn to for advice. Former Socceroo Brett Emerton tore his ACL playing for Blackburn Rovers in 2009, but was able to return in seven months thanks to an intensive rehab programme and his own freakish levels of fitness.

Ironically Celtic’s defeat of Dundee featured a brilliant goal and all-round display by Tom Rogic, Arzani’s teammate for club and country.

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