Feyenoord boss singles out two ‘threatening’ Celtic players he is wary of

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Feyenoord coach Arne Slot singled out Japanese duo Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda when discussing the Celtic players he ‘admires’ ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League opener in Rotterdam.

We’ve already had the battle of the runners-up, PSV Eindhoven hammering Rangers at the play-off phase before the September international break. Now, it’s time for the main course.

A tantalising meeting between the Dutch champions and the dominant force of Scottish football; Arne Slot’s Feyenoord side welcoming Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic to De Kuip on the back of convincing weekend wins.

Feyenoord, sitting on the throne for only the second time this Century, have scored a remarkable 17 goals in their last three domestic games. Slot, however, is as wary of Celtic’s own frontline as he is confident in his own. Especially the guile of Kyogo Furuhashi and the speed of Daizen Maeda.

Feyenoord host Celtic in Champions League

“There are a lot of players I admire (at Celtic),” Slot says, via the Daily Record.

“The striker (Kyogo) but also the left winger (Maeda) as well. They do a lot of threatening deep runs. But I also like the midfield and the style they play. It’s my belief that the players all have individual skills, but they can grow because of the team.”

Kyogo, in just six games this term, has four goals and two assists already. What Maeda lacks in ruthlessness, meanwhile, he makes up for in sheer ferocity and determination; the winger’s searing pace on likely to lead to plenty of openings if Celtic can hit a similarly swashbuckling Feyenoord outfit quickly on the counter.

“If you want to get through you will have to win almost every home game,” Slot adds, charging his team with making a winning start to the group stages. “It’s not like I will rate any of the three clubs differently. Celtic are the only champions (in Scotland), and you have to have a lot of respect for that.

“PSV won easily at home (against Rangers). Away, they didn’t win. Celtic have only lost to them (Rangers) once in the last meetings. Celtic have been a better club in the last decade, I think you have to rate them differently than Rangers.”