Knee surgery for Celtic's Mjallby
GLASGOW, Scotland (Reuters) -- Celtic defender Johan Mjallby is to undergo knee surgery and could struggle to be fit for his team's UEFA Cup tie with Czech side FK Teplice next month, the Scottish league leaders said on Monday.
The 32-year-old Sweden international, who missed Saturday's 3-0 league win over Glasgow rivals Rangers, is expected to be out for six weeks after the operation on Wednesday.
"Due to wear and tear on his right knee there has been a slight flare-up and Mjallby requires some tidy-up surgery to correct the problem," Celtic said on their Web site.
Celtic begin their quest to reach the UEFA Cup final for a second successive season with the first leg of their third round tie against Teplice on February 26.
Mjallby's fellow defenders Joos Valgaeren and Ulrik Laursen should rejoin training from injury over the next few days.
Celtic opened an 11-point gap at the top of the Scottish premier league after their victory over Rangers on Saturday.
Copyright 2004
Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
