Daizen Maeda Reveals Japan Trip Reasoning

Daizen Maeda has revealed the personal and physical toll of his recent trip to Japan, admitting the demands of long-haul travel took their toll ahead of last weekend’s Glasgow derby.

The Celtic forward jetted back to his homeland last week, expecting to be present for the birth of his child. However, the baby hadn’t arrived by the time he returned to Glasgow on Friday, trained on Saturday, and started Sunday’s match at Ibrox.

He then sent Sunday night at the Doubletree by Hilton collecting four awards across the club’s ceremony and the PFA one.

Speaking about the hectic schedule, Maeda said: “It was a difficult trip this time because of the time difference and all the travel. It took a lot for me to go back and forth. So yeah, now I plan just to stay here for the rest of the season.

“I was expecting my baby to be born in Japan but still he hasn’t been born yet. So it was a bit difficult with the travel and everything.”

Despite clearly not being at full sharpness, Brendan Rodgers placed his trust in the 26-year-old by starting him at Ibrox—a decision Maeda appreciated, even if he admitted he was running on fumes.

“But the manager used me against Rangers and I was grateful for his trust.

“At that moment physically it was very tough, I couldn’t do much. I wish I could have scored that one. But overall what we have done this season has paid off, we have won the league and I’m very happy about that.” [RecordSport]

That “one” was the last-gasp chance to win the game, when Maeda surged through but failed to square to Johnny Kenny or finish past Liam Kelly—a moment that could have sealed a derby win for the champions.

Despite that miss, Maeda’s overall contribution this season has been immense, and he was quick to reflect on the bigger picture.

With the Scottish Cup Final still to come, Maeda’s focus is now fully on finishing strong.

Best of luck to him and his family; he’ll be buzzing to hopefully win the treble before returning to Japan.