Celtic's story behind Daizen Maeda appeal, the 'assault' and why forward is deemed 'extraordinary'

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers revelled in having his “extraordinary” forward Daizen Maeda available for Wednesday night’s Champions League play-off first leg clash with Bayern Munich after the Glasgow club won their appeal to reduce a two-game suspension.

Maeda was sent off in gameweek seven of the tournament back in January against Young Boys for a late kick out at Mohamed Ali Camara. He was due to miss two matches for the incident, but having served one of those against Aston Villa late last month, Celtic submitted an appeal on Friday and discovered on Monday evening that he will be available to face the German giants.

The development is a massive boost for Rodgers, who admitted some surprise at halving the suspension. Maeda has scored 20 goals for Celtic this season and is one of their most in-form players. Often deployed as a winger, he can also play through the middle as a No 9 and is set to start against the Bavarians.

Daizen Maeda is available for Celtic against Bayern Munich after winning his appeal against a red card. | SNS Group

“It’s such a great bit of news that we got, obviously, last night,” Rodgers said on Maeda. “He’s an extraordinary player. I think how he’s been this year for us, not just in goals, but what his value gives to the team in terms of his pressing and his honesty to the game. So to have that mentality and that ability available was a big surprise for us, but a nice surprise.”

Rodgers had clearly not been banking on Maeda being available, given that he has played the full 90 minutes in all of Celtic’s past three matches. “I ran the legs off him for three games!” laughed Rodgers, before hailing the 27-year-old’s physical prowess. "He'll be fine for the games, don't get me wrong.

“He's got a lot of miles on the clock. I think to have that, if you go into the Premier League down in England, the running capacity and physicality you need for that league, there's players there that have that of course. But he does all the things that, in terms of what you don't need talent for, he does them to the highest level. All the running, the pressing, his will to run and run and run is absolutely incredible. I haven't worked with too many like that.

“The ones that can do it in bursts of course and pressure, but for someone to have the desire to want to run is absolutely at the highest level. So, we're very lucky to have him here. He just keeps continuing to grow and develop and now you see his composure. He's scored goals, all types of goals and just very, very pleased that he's with us.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is delighted to have Maeda available. | SNS Group

Speaking on the appeal, Rodgers continued: “It was brilliant by the club, I've got to say, because he was always going to serve one game, but until you get the written report, which didn't come through until Thursday/Friday last week, you can't put in your appeal. But as soon as it did come in, obviously the club put in the appeal. Which, with the greatest respect to UEFA, we were thinking this probably wouldn't bear fruit. And then when I got the call to say he was able to play, I thought, ‘goodness me, he's played the three full games’.

“He couldn't run any more as a striker, as a winger. But thankfully he's just a bundle of energy, so he'll be okay., I was a wee bit surprised when it came through. But it wasn't unsurprising because of getting two games. What was that word? Assault, aye. Assault was what was causing it [the two-game ban]. It wasn't an assault - that was in the report. So I think on that basis alone, the club were great. They appealed and thankfully we won.”