The build-up to Celtic’s Champions League tie against Bayern Munich is going pretty well.
Only last week, Celtic were facing the prospect of having no away fans at the Allianz Arena and also having to deal with the absence of Daizen Maeda.
For years and years, the champions of Scotland have tried to break that mould again of reaching the knockout stages of Europe’s elite competition.
Then UEFA revamped the Champions League format this season to suit clubs like Celtic, they take it with both hands and book their knockout ticket only to be on the back foot before a ball is kicked.
But, within the space of a week, it has been announced that Celtic will be allowed to have away fans in Munich and Maeda will play that first-leg encounter against Bayern on Wednesday night.
Celtic win red card appeal for Daizen Maeda to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League
Maeda was issued a straight red card against Young Boys during the league phase and it prompted him to be issued with a two-match ban.
The Japanese forward missed the trip to Villa Park and everyone knew his second-match ban would be the first game of the play-off match.
But Celtic appealed, won it and shared the news with their delighted supporters on social media on Monday evening!
A club statement wrote: ‘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’.
Bayern Munich fans react to Maeda’s availability for Celtic
The news of Maeda’s availability began to spread, including Bayern fans hearing the news as they were on their way to Glasgow.
It’s fair to say that they haven’t taken the news well because they are aware of Maeda’s importance to this Celtic side.
The Bayern faithful understand that, with Maeda in the XI and able to play 90 minutes, things just got a lot more difficult for them.
@Bayern_PR already knows what’s coming as he wrote: ‘Man will have the game of his career with 2 chances and 2 perfect finishes’.
