Brendan Rodgers today confirmed that Daizen Maeda was injured in the tackle that saw him sent off against Atletico Madrid and will now be out for six weeks, thus joining his fellow countryman Reo Hatate on the treatment table at Lennoxtown.
Speaking to Sky Sports today ahead of Sunday’s match against Aberdeen at Celtic Park, Brendan Rodgers broke the bad news with the injury blow compounding the sense of injustice at the referee’s Var ‘assisted’ decision to send off the Japan international winger.
“As a result of the challenge he gets sent off for, it looks like he’s sprained his medial knee ligament so will be out for up to six weeks which isn’t great,” the Celtic manager said.
❌ “As a result of the challenge he gets sent off for, it looks like he’s sprained his medial knee ligament so will be out for up to six weeks which isn’t great.”
Brendan Rodgers on Daizen Maeda’s injury, Celtic’s #UCL campaign so far & facing Aberdeen on Sunday – live on Sky 📺 pic.twitter.com/lF47TAJLyL
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) November 10, 2023
And at his media conference at Lennoxtown Brendan Rodgers added: “Maeda will be out for six weeks with the injury sustained in the challenge. He has strained his medial ligament in the knee which comes from when you just knock a player on the foot.
“If he goes in stronger in the challenge he probably wouldn’t have had the injury. It was just a clash of feet but he has strained his knee ligaments and it is a big shame for us because he has been brilliant since I came in.”
🔊 LISTEN: “If you ask me right now – I would get rid of it”.
🍀 Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers reveals he would prefer to “get rid” of VAR – and says Daizen Maeda will miss up to six weeks after picking up an injury in the challenge that led to his red card against Atletico. pic.twitter.com/PN0LOxkWaN
— Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (@ClydeSSB) November 10, 2023
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Japan international Daizen Maeda could miss the rest of the year through an injury sustained in the challenge that saw him see red vs A. Madrid.
Brendan Rodgers confirmed the injury today.
Wishing him a speedy recovery 🤞 pic.twitter.com/Rp0RIIH9jp
— Everything Celtic (@aboutceltic) November 10, 2023
Is there any wonder Maeda is laughing at the cheat on the ground in that picture? Laying there like he had been shot from a snipers bullet, when it was actually the Madrid player who kicked Diazen!
Incompetent or bought referee? We’ll never know.
But why brilliant players, in brilliant teams still feel the need to do this crap is beyond me!
They would have won anyway!
The culture comes from the manager. He’s never changed since he was a player .. & never will.