DARK DAY
Ex-Celtic ace Kyogo Furuhashi admits feeling ‘depressed and frustrated’ ahead of Champions League clash vs Real Madrid
He hopes moving to France will improve his international prospects
KYOGO FURUHASHI admits he was left feeling “depressed and frustrated” ahead of a massive Celtic Champions League clash with Real Madrid – because of his ongoing international snub.
The striker left Parkhead for Rennes in January after scoring 85 goals and winning eight domestic honours in three-and-a-half seasons.
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Despite that red-hot form, Kyogo was surprisingly not routinely selected by the Japanese national team – something that hurt him deeply, especially when he was left out of the squad for the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
And the 30-year-old has now revealed that omission in particular left him in a dark place heading into a Champions League away match against the Spanish giants.
Kyogo started that game in the Bernabeu but was booked and later substituted as the Hoops went down 5-1.
Speaking of his international rejection, the player told Lemino Football: “It was really frustrating, to be honest.
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“I think the announcement of the squad was on the day we were traveling for a Champions League away game.
“I couldn't let it dwell on me.
“To be honest, I was really depressed and frustrated but I had to play in the Champions League.
“So, I did my best to switch gears.”
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Kyogo has struggled to make much of an impact at Rennes since making his mid-season switch from the Scottish champions.
But the forward is hoping moving to France will advance his international aspirations by playing alongside highly skilled players in a respected league.
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He added: “I think that if I can prove my strength here in France by playing every week I will be called up by the national team again and I will be able to show a different side of myself.
"I cannot claim to be called up with any certainty, but if I can demonstrate my ability at Rennes, it definitely adds to my chances.
"I just want to make an impact here and create chances for my teammates.
"I'm very pleased we won in my opening game.
"There are a lot of players in France with very high technical abilities and I know I will challenge myself every day.”
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