Reo Hatate snub is Japan’s loss and Celtic’s gain | OneFootball

Reo Hatate has failed to make an appearance for the Japanese side after expectations that the in-form midfielder would secure his first international cap this international break.

Reo Hatate has been snubbed again by the Japanese boss Hajime Moriyasu. Hatate has displayed excellent form over the past few weeks in a Celtic jersey, going up against Luca Modric and putting in a solid performance against the veteran of five Champions League titles.

Celtic’s Japanese defender Reo Hatate (R) and Shakhtar Donetsk’s Ukrainian forward Oleksandr Zubkov vie for the ball during UEFA Champions League Group F between Shakhtar Donetsk and Celtic FC in Warsaw on September 14, 2022. (Photo by JANEK SKARZYNSKI / AFP) (Photo by JANEK SKARZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Although the frustration builds for Hatate as he is left in the dark on how to gain his first international cap, it is, on the bright side, good news for Celtic fans. Celtic has already had a tough international break, as many players are getting injured playing for their respective countries. Giorgos Giakoumakis, Daizen Maeda and Haksabanovic, with Aaron Mooy, David Turnbull and Greg Taylor all received various injuries in recent weeks.

With the World Cup swiftly approaching, Hatate will be desperate to break into the Japanese squad. However, he will be wondering what else he can actually do to prove his worth. Playing at the top level in club football and putting in excellent performances domestically week in and week out would surely be enough for any reasonable manager to give some game time.

Reo Hatate and Luka Modric of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League Group F match at Celtic Park, Photo Neil Hanna / Sportimage

With games against Germany, Spain and Costa Rica in November, Hatate, along with his fellow countrymen, will be keen to get selected for the squad. However, Hatate’s lack of game time may prove problematic for the midfielder as he may have failed to prove himself to Moriyasu, not that he seems overly keen on Reo anyway.

It’s Japan’s loss and Celtic’s gain.

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