Neil Lennon is hopeful his injury-hit skipper can make his first-team return before the end of the season – even if he goes under the knife this week.
And that could put Brown in line for a William Hill Scottish Cup final appearance at Hampden – if Celtic overcome Dundee United in the semi-final.
The Scotland star has been nursed through this season due to a hip problem and, latterly, an adductor muscle problem which has aggravated the existing condition.
He has been in consultation with specialists since limping out of Celtic's first-leg Champions League last 16 tie against Juventus, and Lennon expects confirmation will be given this week the player needs to be operated on.
However, he has insisted that ruling him out for the remainder of the season is premature. Lennon said: "He still has to see the specialist again, but we'd hope we'll get confirmation this week.
"If he does need the surgery, then there is still a chance he might be back before the end of the season and he could fit in a few games. Who knows, if we do well enough to get to the Scottish Cup final then you just never know, he could possibly make an appearance for that.
"It is a four to six-week recovery if the specialist decides he does need to go under the knife. But, as most people would appreciate, he is a fit lad, a very dedicated lad to the game and there's a wee chance he could possibly squeeze back into the side before the curtain comes down on the campaign."
Whether Brown returns before the end of the season or not, Celtic jetted to Italy today without their inspirational leader.
Lennon has shared the captain's armband with a few faces in the Scotland midfielder's absence, and he has called on whoever has the honour of leading out the side in Turin to live up to the accolade.
"A few of them have sampled it in recent weeks and they know what is expected of them as captains of the club," said Lennon. "Ideally, we would have had Scott in there for a game of this magnitude, but it has reached a stage where he was in a bit of pain with it.
"He is the captain of the team, a really important member of the team, but it is a strong squad we have and we need to show that now. There are a lot of players who are capable of stepping up to the plate and assuming that leadership role.
"If we are to get any kind of result against Juventus tomorrow night then we'll need a team of leaders. It's up to them as players to have that kind of hunger and desire about them, whoever takes the armband."
