That’s exactly the news Celtic fans were hoping for ahead of their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich!
When you think about it, there was no real need for Daizen Maeda to play the full 90 minutes against Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup over the weekend.
However, Brendan Rodgers had his reasons—he anticipated that his Japanese star wouldn’t be available for the first leg of Celtic’s Champions League tie against Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.
Maeda went on to score a hat-trick against Raith Rovers, further cementing his status as arguably Celtic’s standout player this season.
This was a bittersweet moment because, not only is Maeda in phenomenal form right now, but he’s also a strong contender for Player of the Year in Scotland.
But then, on Monday evening, Celtic delivered the news every fan had been waiting for!
Celtic Win Red Card Appeal for Daizen Maeda to Face Bayern Munich in Champions League
Just days before the Bayern match, the club successfully appealed Maeda’s two-game ban, reducing it to just one.
This means Maeda will now be available for the first leg, ready to sprint across the pitch like an unstoppable, high-energy force.
This is a massive boost for Celtic, as Maeda’s presence could be the difference between leaving the first leg with nothing and heading to Munich with a lead.
As the club stated: ‘Celtic FC tonight confirmed that it has successfully appealed Daizen Maeda’s two-match suspension. The original suspension has been reduced to one match, meaning Daizen is available to play on Wednesday at Celtic Park.’
Chris Sutton’s Two-Word Reaction to Maeda News:
As expected, news of Maeda’s availability spread quickly, delighting Celtic fans everywhere.
The Parkhead faithful were ecstatic, flooding social media with their excitement.
Former striker Chris Sutton, however, kept his reaction short and sweet on Twitter, summing it up in just two words:
‘Good news,’ wrote Sutton about Maeda’s availability.
