Maeda Warns Against Champions League Repeat

Celtic claimed victory at Tony Macaroni Arena on Saturday afternoon as goals from Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley and Daizen Maeda beat Livingston. Among the many things that impressed throughout the match was the following.

Maeda never stopped at the Hoops and were rewarded with a stunning goal late on. Manager Brendan Rodgers joked that Celtic were never 10 against 10 when the Japan international was on the field because he did the work of two players.

That actually happened after Joe Hart saw red. This was the third sending off in two matches for the champions and it was something that worried Maeda. He said (Glasgow Times):
“But this is the second game in a row we have had to play with fewer players and that is something we will have to think about.”

The Bhoys were reduced to nine men last Tuesday night, and it certainly cost them dearly. On the other hand, for Livi’, things were different and they were not punished. Here’s what Maeda raised:
“We will have to think about how to handle situations – because if it were a Champions League match it would be even more difficult. I’m happy with the win but we have a lot to think about as a team. We don’t want to relive these situations again.”

Injuries affect a team’s performance, just like red cards, but injuries are something that can be controlled. For this reason, the Celts will have to play smarter, Maeda explains:
“When it comes to yellow cards and red cards, that’s something we can deal with. We have to play smart. At the moment, we are playing well but we have to be careful not to send players off because that would make it difficult.

Although the 25-year-old admitted that dropping to 10 was difficult, it did not affect the team’s performance this weekend. All the men buckled up after Hart was sent off and contributed to a remarkable victory. What needs to be considered going forward, however, is judgment in high-octane situations.