After Celtic opened their Champions League campaign with a thumping 5-1 win against Slovan Bratislava, manager Brendan Rodgers heaped praise on Maeda.
Former Celtic and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart had used a clip of the 27-year-old thwarting a Slovan counter-attack on BBC Sport’s Champions League highlights programme.
Maeda hounded Slovan’s right-back and centre-back, winning possession.
Rodgers cited that moment and said he doubted “there’s anyone better in world football” at setting the tone from the front.
There are numerous examples of the Celtic forward doing just that.
In the League Cup final this season, he ran down Rangers defender Leon Balogun, stole the ball and ran through to score.
Strangely, the moment which sums up his attitude and speed came near the end of a 6-0 drubbing of St Johnstone in September, when Celtic lost the ball in the final third and he sprinted nearly the length of the pitch to win it back with the game long since won.
At the time, Rodgers applauded it on the touchline as much as any goal.
His former coach at Yokohama F Marinos John Hutchinson knew exactly what was coming when Ange Postecoglou recruited him from his old club.
“I have never seen a more physical player, in terms of speed and repeat sprinting, than Daizen,” he said in 2022, external.
“Daizen is a physical beast. You’d have no issues sending him anywhere in Europe because it won’t be a problem to him. He’s a machine.”
According to Opta data only fellow winger Nicolas Kuhn has put more pressure on defenders than Maeda in Celtic’s Champions League games this season, which underlines both players’ significant role without the ball, as well as with it.
“He does all the things that you don’t need talent for to the highest level: all the running, the pressing,” Rodgers said before the Bayern clash.
“His will to run and run and run is absolutely incredible and I haven’t worked with too many like that.
“He keeps continuing to grow and develop and now you see his composure when he’s in front of goal, scoring all types of goals. I’m just very, very pleased that he’s with us.”
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/branded_sport/1200/cpsprodpb/a518/live/18f90ac0-e88a-11ef-a319-fb4e7360c4ec.jpg
After Celtic opened their Champions League campaign with a thumping 5-1 win against Slovan Bratislava, manager Brendan Rodgers heaped praise on Maeda.
Former Celtic and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart had used a clip of the 27-year-old thwarting a Slovan counter-attack on BBC Sport’s Champions League highlights programme.
Maeda hounded Slovan’s right-back and centre-back, winning possession.
Rodgers cited that moment and said he doubted “there’s anyone better in world football” at setting the tone from the front.
There are numerous examples of the Celtic forward doing just that.
In the League Cup final this season, he ran down Rangers defender Leon Balogun, stole the ball and ran through to score.
Strangely, the moment which sums up his attitude and speed came near the end of a 6-0 drubbing of St Johnstone in September, when Celtic lost the ball in the final third and he sprinted nearly the length of the pitch to win it back with the game long since won.
At the time, Rodgers applauded it on the touchline as much as any goal.
His former coach at Yokohama F Marinos John Hutchinson knew exactly what was coming when Ange Postecoglou recruited him from his old club.
“I have never seen a more physical player, in terms of speed and repeat sprinting, than Daizen,” he said in 2022, external.
“Daizen is a physical beast. You’d have no issues sending him anywhere in Europe because it won’t be a problem to him. He’s a machine.”
According to Opta data only fellow winger Nicolas Kuhn has put more pressure on defenders than Maeda in Celtic’s Champions League games this season, which underlines both players’ significant role without the ball, as well as with it.
“He does all the things that you don’t need talent for to the highest level: all the running, the pressing,” Rodgers said before the Bayern clash.
“His will to run and run and run is absolutely incredible and I haven’t worked with too many like that.
“He keeps continuing to grow and develop and now you see his composure when he’s in front of goal, scoring all types of goals. I’m just very, very pleased that he’s with us.”
2025-02-12 07:19:14