Abada to miss Kilmarnock game & could leave on loan

Celtic winger Liel Abada — Liel Abada continues to train with Celtic but will not face Kilmarnock

Manager Brendan Rodgers says Liel Abada could leave on loan if the Israel winger "does not feel quite right or ready" to play for Celtic.

The 22-year-old will sit out Saturday's game with Kilmarnock after also missing out against St Mirren last weekend.

He has faced pressure in his home country because of support for Palestinians among some Celtic fans.

Asked if a loan was an option, Rodgers said: "It's a possibility, but we'll see. We will work together on it."

Palestinian flags have continued to be flown among Celtic supporters during Israel's ongoing military assault in Gaza.

The Green Brigade ultras group has asked other Celtic fans to join them in song before the Kilmarnock match in support of Palestinian people.

"It's still the same situation," Rodgers said. "I have had lots of conversations with Liel and I am really empathetic towards the issue he has.

"It's more than football. It's at a human level, so I have to respect that.

"He is training, he is working away, but this period is all about the mind and, if you're not quite right or ready, firstly I can't take any risk with him, because we will always support the player and obviously I also have to protect the squad as well."

About 1,200 people were killed during the Hamas attacks on southern Israel on 7 October last year.

More than 28,500 Palestinians have been killed and over 68,000 injured by the offensive launched by Israel since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Rodgers had dinner with Abada to discuss his situation in the wake of the October attacks by Hamas on Israel, but the winger has not been a regular starter on his return to the squad after recovering from injury.

"My job isn't just a football manager," the Celtic manager said.

"This is a young guy, 22 years of age, far, far away from home. People can talk about what's going on there and then they can forget about it. This is the reality for him, this is his life. Every single day, every night, families in a war.

"So it's a really, really tough situation for him. On a human level, I have real, real empathy for him.

"It's the sadness of it - he re-signed for us because he had great belief he could go on and develop, then he had a period out with injury and now coming back he has found it a real, real challenge. But I am here to support him and everything else is secondary to that.

"And, when he's ready, if he ever is ready, then he will be able to give us everything."