Barry Ferguson says Robin van Persie’s Feyenoord were ‘frightened’ of one Celtic player

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The joys of winning away in Europe.

Celtic simply haven’t been used to it for a long time, but you would have won a lot of money if somebody told you that it would be Martin O’Neill who would end the club’s barren run on the road.

On Thursday night, Celtic deservedly beat Robin van Persie’s Feyenoord in the Europa League, in what was their first away win in Europe since 2021, and several previously struggling stars came to show.

Daizen Maeda didn’t get on the scoresheet in Rotterdam, but he sure caused havoc to Feyenoord’s backline.

• READ MORE: Who is Daizen Maeda? Meet Celtic’s energetic, free-scoring talisman

Who is your man of the match from tonight? Let us know below!

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Feyenoord were ‘frightened’ of Celtic star Daizen Maeda in the Europa League

Even Barry Ferguson was left impressed by Maeda’s performance against Feyenoord, and how he ‘looked back to his best.’

It has been a troublesome campaign for Maeda so far, with off-field speculation around his future not helping matters.

But Ferguson feels that the Maeda of old showed up in O’Neill’s final European game in charge, so much so that Feyenoord were ‘frightened’ of him, as he told Go Radio.

“Maybe he felt a bit sorry for himself,” said Ferguson about Maeda’s form this season after summer speculation.

“But I watched against Feyenoord, and he looked sharp as a tack. He looked back to his best. Every professional football player we all go through stages where we aren’t hitting the standards that we would expect. That’s what happens.

“He went off the boil a wee bit. It happened, but against Feyenoord, he was a danger every single minute. Feyenoord were frightened of him.”

Ferguson on what he thought about Maeda from the touchline

Ferguson came up against Maeda last season, when he was in the Rangers dugout, as he watched Celtic lift another Premiership title.

After analysing the Japan star from afar in recent years, the former midfielder admitted that he was taken aback by just how good Scotland’s PFA Player of the Year is when watching him from the touchline.

“I think it’s going to be difficult for Celtic to keep hold of him,” added Ferguson.

“I am sure there will be plenty of teams down south wanting to take him.

“I came up close against him, and it’s different when you watch from the stands compared to the touchline. I was well impressed by him. I am thinking to myself, ‘phwww, he is a player. He is a player.'”