Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has provided an update on the fitness of Daizen Maeda, with the Hoops winger missing tonight’s match against Dundee at Dens Park.
Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn both missed Saturday’s 4-1 win over Ross County in Dingwall. However, Rodgers appeared more confident that Kuhn would play a part in tonight’s game at his pre-match press conference yesterday, and this has been reflected in the squad for tonight’s game, with Kuhn on the bench and Maeda missing the game entirely.
Maeda will certainly be a miss, with Yang Hyun-jun starting instead tonight on the left-hand side.
The South Korean certainly had one of his best games in a Celtic jersey against Don Cowie’s side, with his trickery and ability to beat a man a real highlight of the game, interlinking well alongside Alex Valle off the left.
It’s yet another opportunity in Tayside for Yang to kick on, with Luis Palma likely to leave this month and Celtic reportedly in the market for another winger. Yang’s future appears uncertain.
Rodgers provided an update on when he expects Maeda to return to the squad, with a busy week ahead, including Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup on Saturday at Celtic Park and Young Boys next Wednesday in the Champions League.
He said: (BBC Sport), “We were hoping he could make the bench, but he stayed at home and continued his rehab. He will be available for the weekend.”
Whether Maeda will start Saturday’s game against Kilmarnock remains to be seen, with next Wednesday’s match at Celtic Park against Young Boys giving the Hoops the chance to mathematically seal a place in the Champions League knockout playoffs.
With 9 points already, a win is clearly the goal in Europe.
However, the Japanese winger may play a part off the bench on Saturday in a game against Kilmarnock that will by no means be taken for granted, given Derek McInnes’ previous success against Celtic last season.
