Brendan Rodgers was delighted to receive the news that Daizen Maeda will be able to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League, but the Celtic manager joked he now regrets running the legs off the winger over the past week, having expected UEFA to kick out the club’s appeal against his suspension.

Maeda was handed a two-match ban after picking up a red card late on in the win over Young Boys, and sat out of the defeat to Aston Villa, but the description of his challenge as ‘an assault’ in the official’s match report led Celtic to challenge the length of his suspension.

They received the news that their appeal had been successful on Monday evening, much to Rodgers’ surprise, but he believes that Maeda is the one player in his squad who would be able to handle the hefty workload he has saddled him with, having played 90 minutes against Motherwell, Dundee and Raith Rovers.

“I know, I ran the legs off him for three games!” Rodgers laughed.

“It was brilliant by the club, I've got to say, because he was always going to serve one game, but until you get the written report, which didn't come through until Thursday/Friday last week, you can't put in your appeal.

“But as soon as it did come in, obviously the club put in the appeal. Which, with the greatest respect to UEFA, we were thinking this probably wouldn't bear fruit. And then when I got the call to say he was able to play, I thought, ‘goodness me, he's played the three full games!’

“He couldn't run any more as a striker, as a winger. But thankfully he's just a bundle of energy, so he'll be okay.

“I was a wee bit surprised when it came through. But it wasn't unsurprising because of getting two games. What was that word? Assault, aye. Assault was what was causing it. It wasn't an assault - that was in the report.

“It’s such a great bit of news. He’s an extraordinary player.

“I think how he’s been this year for us, not just in goals, but what his value gives to the team in terms of his pressing and his honesty to the game.

“So to have that mentality and that ability available was a big surprise for us, but a nice surprise.”