So far this season, Celtic’s Champions League adventure has been quite thrilling.
Brendan Rodgers’ Champions League campaign got off to a great start at Parkhead when Celtic thrashed Slovan Bratislava 5-1.
Following their humiliating 7-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund, the Bhoys learned a valuable lesson from last season’s Champions League finalists.
But Celtic overcame Atalanta with a thrilling draw in Bergamo, and Rodgers then led the Hoops to a crushing victory over RB Leipzig at Celtic Park.
However, Japanese winger Daizen Maeda said that he had never seen his teammates perform in UEFA’s top tournament before during Celtic’s draw with Club Brugge.
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 gained them a point in the tie.
But what occurred next blew the Celtic winger away.
Maeda told The Herald [print edition page 70] that the team had never had a huddle after a goal before.
“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 team thing and we will all take part of the responsibility.
“He has been a leader for this team and he will keep being so.”
Daizen Maeda’s impact for Celtic in the Champions League
Celtic’s Maeda appears to be a new player under Brendan Rodgers this season. The Japanese international has ten goals and four assists so far.
In the Champions League, Maeda is being compared to Moussa Dembele of Celtic.
Maeda has made the most of his Champions League appearances for Celtic, scoring three goals.
- Celtic 5 v 1 Slovan Bratislava: Maeda scores Celtic’s fourth goal ten minutes after the Slovakians pulled a goal back at 3-0 down.
- Borussia Dortmund 7 v 1 Celtic: The Japan international equalised minutes after the Germans took the lead and gave the travelling Hoops fans hope. We all know what happened next.
- Celtic 1 v 1 Club Brugge: Maeda scored a superb equaliser some of the best players in Europe would have been 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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