Celtic news bulletin as next Champions League opponents tipped to dish out a pasting and Kyogo set for Japan joy

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German hero Steffen Freund has warned Celtic that RB Leipzig are due to give someone a thrashing in the Champions League - as Kyogo Furuhashi could be set for his first international call-up for Japan in a year.

Kyogo will be hoping to lead the line on Tuesday and Freund reckons the Hoops could be playing against this season's Bundesliga champions-elect when they meet. Celtic welcome Leipzig to Parkhead for their fourth game in the group after an encouraging goalless draw at Atalanta last month. But they will have bad memories of their last game against a German team after a nightmare 7-1 thrashing at Borussia Dortmund.

Leipzig have made an excellent start to their domestic campaign and went into this round of weekend fixtures joint top of the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. But they have made a disastrous start to their Champions League campaign with three defeats in a row. And former Spurs and Borussia Dortmund and Germany Euro 96 winner turned pundit Freund believes they are due a thumping win in Europe.

He said: "In the Champions League, mistakes that you can correct in most Bundesliga games are punished mercilessly. RB learned this the hard way against top teams such as Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Liverpool. But I certainly wouldn't write them off to qualify.

"They now have an easier game against Celtic and also face Aston Villa and Sturm Graz. I think they will not only win games now but win them well. The squad has been strong enough domestically to compensate for the absence of Xaver Schlager, David Raum and Xavi Simons."

Kyogo will be hoping to put on a show ahead of this month's World Cup qualifiers. The Hoops star won the last of his 21 caps against Myanmar a year ago, but has been snubbed by boss Hajime Moriyasu since then. However, Japan have major problems in their strikeforce for this month's qualifiers against Indonesia and China.

Feyenoord striker Ayase Ueda is currently sidelined and unlikely to make the game, while Blackburn Rovers hitman Yuki Ohashi is off form having gone seven games without a goal. And reports in Japan have indicated Moriyasu will turn to Kyogo for the games.

The manager said: "From what I gather, Ayase Ueda has a hamstring injury and won't make the matches. I see it as an opportunity for new talent in the squad. There are players I have been watching who can make an impact in these games instead."

Japan already have Celtic stars Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate in the squad, although the midfielder has been left frustrated recently after travelling almost 30,000 miles to link up with the Japan squad since June...only to not kick a ball for them.

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