RYAN Christie will undergo surgery on Thursday having suffered "multiple facial fractures" during Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden against Aberdeen.

The 24-year-old was badly injured after a sickening clash of heads with Dominic Ball in the first-half of the match.

Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager, insisted after the game that the Aberdeen man deserved to be sent off but had not deliberately gone out to hurt his former Pittodrie team-mate.

Christie was treated for several minutes by Celtic's medical staff and left the field on a stretcher with his neck in a brace.

A statement out out by Celtic said: "Ryan is scheduled to undergo surgery on Thursday of this week. We are not able at this stage to give any specific indication on a timescale for his return to action but, of course, everyone at Celtic wishes Ryan all the best for his full recovery.

"Ryan would also like to thank everyone sincerely for the many wishes of support he has received."

Christie later posted a picture of himself on social media which showed his badly bruised face.