New Year's Resolution

The future’s bright for Nir Bitton as he puts a year-long injury behind him, and targets first-team football in 2019

- Joe Donnelly

THE end of the year marks a time for reflection, but a knee injury, unexpected surgery, and several months of rehabilitation have left Nir Bitton keen to put 2018 firmly behind him.

By his own admission, the last 12 months have incurred some of his darkest moments, and the 27-year-old’s New Year’s resolution is simple – get fully-fit and fight for a place in Brendan Rodgers’ starting XI.

Unlike most sports injuries, particularly ones which eventually require surgery, Bitton’s knock at first seemed innocuous. Playing alongside Dedryck Boyata in the centre of Celtic’s defence in their 1-0 away win over Ross County in November 2017 – the 64th game of the Scottish champions’ unbeaten ‘Invincibles’ run – the defender fell awkwardly on his knee.

He played on, kept training, and continued playing in the weeks that followed, until regular swelling in the wake of games made him reconsider his position.

He appeared as a substitute when the Scottish champions travelled to Kilmarnock on February 3, 2018, but despite feeling fine during that game, an appointment with a specialist in London was made for the following week.

The Isareli internationalist said he expected to be in and out, accept an opinion, and move on with his football. Instead, he was told he was likely to miss the next year of his career.

“It wasn’t a particular tackle in a game or in training. It was after I picked up a little injury back in November 2017 against Ross County away when I landed awkwardly on my knee,” said Bitton in an exclusive interview with the Celtic View.