Melbourne Victory star Keisuke Honda excited to return to Japan and make amends in ACL clash

Melbourne Victory boss Kevin Muscat says some of players will be shocked by Keisuke Honda-hysteria ahead of his first club game in Japan for 12 years.

Melbourne Victory boss Kevin Muscat revealed that some of players will be shocked by Keisuke Honda-hysteria over the next four days in Japan.

Muscat has witnessed first-hand Honda’s rock-star appeal during his numerous trips to Japan as a Victory player and coach over the past 11 years, coinciding with the start of his stellar European career.

J.League runners-up Sanfrecce Hiroshima host Victory on Tuesday night, with Victory set to land in Japan this afternoon (Saturday).

Muscat revealed that the prospect of this fixture was a big reason Honda made the decision to reject more lucrative offers and join Victory on a marquee deal.

SETBACK: VICTORY’S ROCKY ACL START

“This (match) will be magnified now with the hysteria around Keisuke,’’ he said.

“We’ll truly get to see when we get across to Japan what impact he’s had on his home nation as a footballer and person over 13-14 years.

“Not everyone will understand the level of respect, the high regard he’s held in Japan.

“He hasn’t played a club game in Japan for 12 years (his last game was with Nagoya Grampus in 2007) but he had cult status with their national team after playing in Europe.

“The Champions League and the high possibility of going back to Japan we did speak about prior to signing, so no doubt that opportunity appealed to him.

“I’m excited by it and a good opportunity to get our ACL campaign back on track with a lot of attention on us.”

Keisuke Honda is heading back to play in Japan for the first time in 12 years

Honda has performed, but is still short of the stellar early-season form that saw him win the player’ player of the month award, having started three games, among his five appearances since returning from a hamstring injury.

“Keisuke is still working towards full fitness, as one or two others are. He’s about 80 per cent I reckon,’’ Muscat said.

“His performance was good (against Daegu FC). In that first half you see that combination between Terry (Antonis), Jimmy (Troisi), Keisuke, Ola (Toivonen) and Kosta (Barbarouses) in that front third was very pleasing.”

Muscat was upbeat despite the loss to the South Koreans leaving Victory without a win in five games.

“I don’t recall any ACL games where we played that type of football and dominated and created some real good openings and scored,’’ he said.

“It didn’t land how we wanted it. We conceded when we were in control.

“We weren’t sitting back, yes we were calculated.”

HONDA ON A HOMECOMING MISSION

Keisuke Honda insists there is no room for sentiment ahead of his first club game in Japan for 12 years, declaring this Tuesday’s homecoming clash a “must-win”.

Honda, 32, revealed pride in his team’s debut Asian Champions League performance despite last week’s home loss to Daegu FC, but said Victory had to reach the knockout phase.

One of Japan’s greatest products — alongside Kazu Miyura, Shunsuke Nakamura, Hidetoshi Nakata and Shinji Kagawa — is playing his first club game in Japan in 12 years, with Victory facing Sanfrecce Hiroshima.

SETBACK: VICTORY’S ROCKY ACL START

Honda has his final training session this morning at Gosch’s Paddock before Victory departs for Japan and he won’t be overawed as he prepares for his first game in club colours since leaving Nagoya Grampus in 2007 to embark on a stellar Euro career headlined by stints at CSKA Moscow and AC Milan.

“I knew I might be able to play Japanese team (when joining Victory) and it’s happened,’’ Honda said.

“I’m excited to go back. I have not been in the Japanese league since I left for Holland over 10 years ago, but also I was disappointed after Tuesday night.

“I have to and we have to win against the Japanese team.

Keisuke Honda says Melbourne Victory must advance in the Asian Champions League. Pic: AAP

“It’s not normal if we go out at this stage. We (want to) go to the next stage.”

Honda implored coach Kevin Muscat to persist with their entertaining style, which has produced some scintillating soccer, including the first half of last week’s loss to the Koreans, with he and Swedish gun Ola Toivonen linking up superbly before the underdone pair ran out of steam.

Urging Victory not to fall into the trap of Japan’s national team, which has altered philosophies, Honda believes the A-League club could create something special if they can become more consistent.

“We lost the game but I’m proud of the club and the players,” he said.

“The most important thing is the result, but we have to stick to how we play.

“We have to believe our style. I already talked with other players and also Kevin — we will play the same way in Japan.

“This can make this club succeed greatly. That (persisting with the philosophy) can make the culture — players, manager and supporters make it.

“For instance the Japanese national team we changed style every four years, depending on the manager.”