'Quite unfortunate,' admits Arne Slot as Kyogo is passed fit for Rotterdam

Celtic’s talismanic figure in recent times was namechecked by the Dutch side’s boss during his media conference this afternoon, as one of the danger men he believes the De Kuip side will have to be on red alert for. The stealthy movement of the Japanese international is too much for most teams and Slot was deflated when he heard that he had overcome his shoulder issue to be declared fit for tomorrow.

“I just read that Brendan Rodgers said he was able to play, which is quite unfortunate,” he said via Glasgow Times. “I wouldn’t mind if he didn’t start because he is a very good player for Celtic. I liked him a lot as a player when he played in Japan. I think he was a right winger back then. He is one of their best players so we always have to be aware of his threat.

“But I don’t think we are a team that is going to do something which will hurt him so he has to go out. I don’t think this is realistic anymore in current football because of VAR. I don’t think we are going to use that tactic. What we will try to do is defend him in the best way that we can. We know how good he is in transition moments and we know how good he is when Celtic have the ball.

He added: “We will inform our defenders about his qualities and not about his injury. What we will try to do is defend him in the best way that we can. We know how good he is in transition moments and we know how good he is when Celtic have the ball. We will inform our defenders about his qualities and not about his injury.”

The Dutch boss even joked that one of his coaches, John de Wolf, would have targeted the Celtic attacker’s shoulder issue back in the day when he was on the field of play.

He said: “John would have punched him in the tunnel when he was a player!” said Slot. “At least that’s what he tells me all the time about how it went when he played! It’s changed days now though with the use of VAR technology on the pitch and the tighter rules surrounding health and safety of the players both on and off the pitch.”

With any luck, Slot will be really feeling he was unfortunate to come across the Celtic star tomorrow night when the final whistle goes in Rotterdam.