Daizen Maeda handed early Celtic return as North Korea vs Japan friendly cancelled for bizarre reason

Daizen Maeda is set for an early Celtic return from international duty.

The Samurai Blue were set to take on North Korea in a controversial friendly to be played in Pyongyang on Tuesday. The pair played each other in Tokyo on Thursday with Maeda playing the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 win. But the return fixture in the North Korean capital is now OFF after North Korean officials had warned that they would be unable to host in Pyongyang due to a rise in streptococcal in Japan over recent months.

It had been suggested that the game could be played at a neutral venue. But that plan is now off the table and it means Maeda will return to Glasgow ahead of schedule. That's good news for Brendan Rodgers, who will have him back well in time to face Livingston on March 31 then the crunch title battle with Rangers the following weekend.

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An AFC statement raid: "The fixture between DPR Korea and Japan, scheduled to be played on March 26, will not take place as scheduled due to unforeseen circumstances."

JFA chief Kozo Tashima said: "I told them it was so sudden and that I cannot give them an immediate yes. I told them it will take us at least two or three days (to answer). I told them it's difficult."