Motherwell centre-back Ricki Lamie is eager to test himself against Kyogo Furuhashi this weekend when Celtic travel to Fir Park.
The Steelmen are one point and two places above sixth-placed Celtic in the Premiership heading into the match. But the Hoops have been boosted by Furuhashi's return to full fitness after an injury.
A Japanese international, the forward has been a key player for manager Ange Postecoglou since his summer arrival from Vissel Kobe. Lamie relishes tests like the one Celtic's tricky star could pose him.
"Kyogo looks like's he playing in fast-forward sometimes," joked Lamie. "I think the same goes for both Celtic and Rangers - and players throughout the league - there's real quality.
"You are going to come up against guys with this sort of quality. It's good to test yourself against these guys.
"For the likes of myself, you tend to be up against these guys directly as they are the technical players. I've found the better players you play against, the more you improve."
Lamie is vying for his place in the Motherwell team against Bevis Mugabi and Darragh O'Connor, plus Scandinavian pair Sondre Solholm Johansen and Juhani Ojala.
"It's always something I said that was on the bucket list, to pick up another language," added Lamie on Johansen and Ojala.
"You feel a bit ignorant actually, with how good Juhani and Sondre's English is. I always feel a bit ignorant as you come to expect it - and I don't like that.
"A second language is something I'd like to pick up. Finnish and Norwegian isn't where I'd start though! I've not even got the basics down, not even enough to get by. I haven't picked up anything!
"You'd think Sondre is American or Canadian with his accent! The big man's English is immaculate and Juhani's got a decent line-up as well - I think he speaks about five different languages.
"He's played in Russia, he's got a bit of Swiss in the locker. They've both got impressive English."
Follow Lanarkshire Live Sport on Twitter via @LanLiveSport, like us on Facebook or find us on Instagram for the latest sports news, pictures and video.
