Reo Hatate has revealed his career has been driven by fulfilling a wish he would play in the Champions League.
The Japanese midfielder is a likely starter for Ange Postecoglou's side as they prepare to take on holders Real Madrid on Tuesday. It's set to be a huge moment in the 24-year-old's career following his January move to Glasgow from J-League side Kawasaki Frontale.
Hatate joined Frontale after graduating from university in 2018 and revealed one of the club's bosses quickly tipped him to become their first player to go on and play in the Champions League. The Celtic star insists those words have stuck with him throughout his career. He told Sportiva: “After graduating from Juntendo University, I decided to play for Kawasaki Frontale. When we were talking about the future, Director Kawaguchi suddenly said 'I want Reo to become a player who will participate in the UEFA Champions League in the future.'
