Celtic midfielder Nir Bitton has revealed that he is working hard to get back in first team contention after missing a major part of 2018 through injury.
Bitton picked up an injury in February of 2018 and had knee surgery that subsequently ruled him out for the remainder of the 2017/18 season.
The Israeli international made 14 Scottish Premiership appearances last season before his injury, and is back in training for the Hoops.
The Scottish Premiership is currently on a winter break and Celtic are spending the week in Dubai to recuperate ahead of the second half of the season.
Bitton is hoping to impress in training and play a part in the second half of the season.
“Sometimes people don’t understand, sometimes people take the simple things in life for granted”, Bitton told Celtic’s official website.
"It was only after getting this injury that I realised I need to appreciate every single minute on the training pitch, every single minute on the pitch, because in one moment you can lose everything, and you can do nothing about it.
“From here, I’ll put the injury behind me, and my main focus is to get back to full fitness now, have a good time in Dubai with the team, to get back into shape, get some thorough training sessions in.
"After the winter break, I’ll keep pushing, keep training hard, and hopefully I’ll get some game time, and hopefully we’ll win some more trophies this season."
The Bhoys are currently at the top of the Scottish Premiership table by virtue of goal difference and will resume competitive action in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup on the 19th January before facing St. Mirren in the Premiership.
