Celtic have been on a bit of an exciting Champions League journey so far this season.
Brendan Rodgers’ Champions League campaign got off to a flying start as Celtic defeated Slovan Bratislava 5-1 at Parkhead.
Celtic were then crushed by a 7-1 defeat at Borussia Dortmund, as last season’s Champions League finalists taught them a valuable lesson.
Celtic recovered from their defeat to Atalanta with a stunning draw in Bergamo, then Rodgers led the Hoops to a thrashing of RB Leipzig at Celtic Park.
However, it was during Celtic’s tie with Club Brugge that Japanese winger Daizen Maeda admits he witnessed something his colleagues had never done before in UEFA’s elite competition.
Daizen Maeda blown away by ‘good gesture’ in Celtic’s draw vs Club Brugge
Celtic fans will never forget Cameron Carter-Vickers’ own goal against the Belgians, which gave the Hoops a point in the draw.
But what occurred next blew the Celtic winger away.
Maeda told The Herald [print edition page 70], “In my time here, we’ve never had a huddle like we did after the goal.
“But we are disciplined, and it demonstrated our will to win the game. It was a nice gesture in a difficult situation.
“What happened to him [Carter-Vickers] was not only his fault; it was a collective effort, and we will all share blame.
“He has been a leader for this team and he will keep being so.”
Daizen Maeda’s impact for Celtic in the Champions League
Maeda has looked like a fresh Celtic player this season under Brendan Rodgers. The Japanese international has ten goals and four assists so far.
However, in the Champions League, Maeda is now being discussed for Celtic in the same quarters as Moussa Dembele.
Maeda has made the most of his Champions League appearances for Celtic, scoring three goals.
Celtic 5–1 Slovan Bratislava: Maeda scores Celtic’s fourth goal ten minutes after the Slovakians pull one back at 3-0 down.
Borussia Dortmund 7–1 Celtic: The Japan international equalised minutes after the Germans took the lead, giving the travelling Hoops fans hope. We all know what came next.
Celtic 1–1 Club Brugge: Maeda produced a stunning equaliser that even the top players in Europe would be proud of.
Not only that, but Maeda was a pest against RB Leipzig, duping the Bundesliga team into a mistake that led to Celtic and Nicolas Kuhn’s second goal.
Maeda is without a doubt one of Celtic’s most essential players, and he is swiftly gaining hero status among many Hoops supporters.
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