Celtic worry as player misses training on international duty

Celtic are heading into the most important part of the campaign. They are leading the Premiership by nine points with nine games to go and are in the semi finals of the Scottish Cup as well. Both trophies are still up for grabs though and a potential treble still on the table. Thus, Ange Postecoglou’s team will surely want to finish the season strong with more success and silverware, after building up such a strong foundation.

Celtic have been handed a few fitness problems in recent weeks though. Aaron Mooy and Tomoki Iwata missed the last game against Hibernian. Reo Hatate picked up an injury in that very same match and was forced off the pitch.

There have been suggestions that Greg Taylor and Cameron Carter-Vickers have been playing through injury. Liel Abada also picked up an issue while away on international duty.

And now, it appears that the Hoops have been handed another worry. As reported by Hochi, Daizen Maeda was absent from the Japan national team’s training session.

Celtic worry as player misses training on international duty

Maeda is an important part of this Celtic team and Postecoglou will want to have him available going into the business end of the season. Not only are the Japanese star’s goals and assists important to this side, but so is his work-rate and relentless pressing from the front.

Let’s hope that this is a not a serious matter and Maeda is fit to feature moving forward. There have been suggestions though that he has been playing through a bit of a knee injury himself.

If Maeda does end up missing any sort of action, the Hoops are well stacked in that area of the pitch, with Sead Haksabanovic impressing in recent weeks in particular with his displays off the bench.