The Japan ace was hooked at the break and replaced by goal hero Kelechi Iheanacho
22:48, 24 Sep 2025Updated 23:30, 24 Sep 2025
Celtic Player Ratings From Europa League Clash Against Red Star Belgrade
Brendan Rodgers insists there must be Euro realism after watching Celtic kick off their Europa League campaign with a battling point in Belgrade.
And the Irishman insists he has no fears over Daizen Maeda despite hooking him at half-time for goal hero Kelechi Iheanacho.
Iheanacho climbed off the bench at the break to break the deadlock against Red Star Belgrade in the Serbian capital after replacing the ineffective Maeda.
It could have been even better for the Hoops in the Marakana if they hadn’t met a keeper in inspired form with Brazilian shot-stopper Matheus keeping Celtic at bay, including a couple of point blank stops from Iheanacho.
Celtic’s Daizen Maeda
And the Premiership champions paid for that as the Serbians grabbed a leveller with Austrian hitman and former West Ham United striker Marko Arnautovic levelling.
But was happy with the point with their next two games in the league phase both on home soil when they welcome Portuguese outfit Braga and Sturm Graz to Parkhead.
And when asked if he was disappointed not to get the victory after dropping down to UEFA’s second tier competition from the Champions League, he said: “There needs to be a bit of realism. We are where we are and this is a good point.
“You won’t go and win all eight games. It’s a realism. This is a good point for this group of players and for us coming here and we have two home games to really go and push forward.
“There will always be criticism but if you get a point in Belgrade against a team that’s won seven out of seven we can only focus on ourselves.
“They’ve won all their domestic games, seven out of seven, and coming to Belgrade is always a tough game. We had great opportunities in the second half but showed great resilience and moments of quality – Kel’s goal was absolutely outstanding.
“We had other moments in the second half. I still want us to be a little more proactive in the game but overall it was a nice first step for us in the competition.”
On his decision to take off Maeda, he explained: “We needed someone centrally to hold the ball up. I felt we arrived into the final third in the first half and were either loose with the ball or didn’t hold it up.
Kelechi Iheanacho scores
“It’s one of Kehl’s great strengths, he can take the ball in and use his body well and it allows you to progress up the pitch so he gave us a much better platform in the second half.
“Daizen wasn’t at his best, nowhere near it, but he’s a good guy and sometimes that can happen in a game. I could have made a couple of changes at half time but I wanted to make that one to give us greater reference at the top of the pitch and Kel was very good for us.”
Youngster Colby Donovan kept his starting place and Rodgers piled praise on the full back He said: “Colby was absolutely outstanding for a young player in his fourth or fifth start. To play at that level in a stadium like this – he’s just turned 19.
“He’s got personality, not frightened of anything. He goes into the game, takes the ball, passes it forward, is aggressive, stops crosses and that’s how he trains. He trains to that level every day so I’m so, so happy for him.”