Reo Hatate admits Celtic injury depression as Japanese star reveals how he got back on track

Reoi Hatate admits his lengthy Celtic injury lay-off left him feeling "depressed" but has vowed to show his worth to fans so they feel they NEED him again.

The Japanese made his return to action with a fine performance in Sunday's 3-0 win over Livingston. It was the midfielder's first start since October after three stints of the sidelines that have limited him to just 12 appearances for Brendan Rodgers' side. HIs most recent injury set back came in January after injuring BOTH calves during the Asian Cup.

But now he's changed his training in a bod to stay fit and is in line to face Rangers in Sunday's Premiership title showdown at Ibrox. But it's been a long road and Hatate has opened up on struggling mentally with not being able to train or play. “I have been repeatedly injured and not been able to contribute to the team," he wrote in his Sportiva column.

“I want to win as many titles as possible and I want to show the Celtic fans a performance that once again makes them think, ‘Celtic need Reo Hatate’.

“During my rehabilitation in preparation for my return, I reviewed everything. This included preparation for competitions, physical strength, training content and diet.

“The most recent injury was my third this season and although it was in a different location, it was a huge shock to have sustained a similar injury over and over again.

“When I returned to Scotland after the Asian Cup, my heart sank for a while. I had also been injured in a match against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on October 25 last year. I was disappointed at that moment, but quickly recovered.

“I thought to myself, ‘I will definitely recover from my injury and participate in the Asian Cup’. By setting clear goals for my return, I was able