'A big miss' - Daizen Maeda ruled out for six weeks as Celtic dealt major injury blow

Celtic will be without Daizen Maeda for up to six weeks after the Japanese forward suffered a knee injury in the challenge that earned him a red card against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

Maeda was initially shown a yellow card following a 50-50 collision with Mario Hermoso in the first-half in Spain, but after a VAR review the referee's on-field decision was upgraded to a red.

The 26-year-old caught Hermoso on the shin as he followed through before the Atletico player went down in dramatic fashion in front of both dugouts.

It leaves Maeda - who has been a mainstay in the starting XI under Brendan Rodgers - facing a race to be passed fit for the Old Firm derby against Rangers at the end of December.

Rodgers stated: "Daizen will probably be up to six weeks out with the injury from the challenge. He has strained his medial knee ligament which comes from when you just knock a player on the foot.

"If he was in stronger in the challenge he probably wouldn't have had the injury. The clash of feet has just opened up the knee ligament. It's a big shame for us because he has been brilliant for me since I came here.

"It's a big loss because his attitude and mentality going into every game is superb. He initiates the pressure for us at the top end. It's a real shame because he has been like a machine since he came to Celtic, watching him before I arrived and then coming here and seeing what he does every day and in the games, he is incredible.

"He hasn't had too many knocks. But I always say, it's an opportunity for someone else to come in and play."