Celtic emerged with resilience in their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, falling short 2-1 but demonstrating remarkable growth since their earlier European encounters. The Scottish champions showed they could compete with one of Europe's elite teams, despite the defeat at Celtic Park.
What initially seemed destined for a potential thrashing, as former Celtic striker Chris Sutton feared an "absolute thumping" after Harry Kane's volley put Bayern two goals ahead, instead became a testament to Celtic's evolving European pedigree. The team, under Brendan Rodgers' leadership, fought until the final whistle in pursuit of an equalizer.
The match began with early drama as Nicolas Kuhn's apparent opener within 30 seconds was ruled offside. Michael Olise's emphatic finish and Kane's clinical volley put Bayern in a commanding position, but Celtic's response highlighted their development since October's heavy defeat to Dortmund, where Karim Adeyemi's first-half hat-trick had left them reeling.
Daizen Maeda's contribution proved particularly significant, as he became the first Japanese player to score four Champions League goals in a single season and the first Celtic player to achieve this feat in the competition. Rodgers' description of Maeda as "a machine" was justified by his determination to convert Yang Hyun-jun's flick from a corner.
The Scottish side created several notable opportunities, with Maeda rounding Manuel Neuer but facing a difficult angle, while Reo Hatate's long-range effort and Alistair Johnston's late attempt tested the experienced Bayern goalkeeper. According to Rodgers, the German giants "were happy" to hear the final whistle.
Former Scotland international Pat Nevin, speaking on BBC 5 Live, emphasized the unpredictable nature of football and Celtic's fighting spirit: "Celtic made opportunities and Bayern need to keep that in mind. They won't give up and football is strange sometimes. Anything could happen."
The narrative took an unexpected turn considering Maeda wasn't even expected to play as of Monday afternoon due to a suspension, which was later reduced. Rodgers remains optimistic about the return leg in Bavaria, stating, "We're still right in the tie. It's only a one-goal difference. It's a big challenge, we know that but it's still a possibility."
Celtic's evolution in European competition is evident in their recent results, including victories against RB Leipzig and Young Boys, along with creditable draws against Atalanta, Club Brugge, and Dinamo Zagreb. As Rodgers noted, "You can always lose at this level. But what must never happen is you must never be broken. The players weren't broken."
