Celtic supervisor Brendan Rodgers urged his underdog aspect to not die questioning in Tuesday’s must-win Champions League second-leg away at Bayern Munich.
Bayern are within the driver’s seat for a spot within the final 16 after a 2-1 win at Celtic Park on Wednesday.
Below this season’s new Champions League format, Celtic made it out of the group stage for the primary time since 2012-13, ending twenty first within the desk.
However their progress has come regardless of poor away type in Europe.
Two scoreless attracts at Atalanta and Dinamo Zagreb have been bookended by thrashings at Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa, with Celtic conceding 11 and scoring three.
Six-time Champions League winners Bayern could have struggled away in Europe this season, dropping three of 5, however are dominant at residence.
Bayern haven’t misplaced in Munich within the Champions League since April 2021, a run of 20 video games together with battles towards Actual Madrid and Manchester Metropolis within the seasons they gained the competitors.
– ‘Bhoys, be humble’ –
After Saturday’s 3-0 managed demolition of third-placed Dundee United, Celtic have a 13-point lead atop the Scottish Premiership desk.
Matches towards Europe’s finest have nevertheless spotlighted the gulf in high quality Rodgers’ ‘Bhoys’ should overcome ought to they progress additional within the Champions League.
Wednesday’s loss to Bayern was Celtic’s first defeat on residence soil in 33 video games relationship again to December 2023, as soon as extra highlighting the scope of the problem on Tuesday.
On Saturday, Rodgers praised his aspect’s “mentality and focus” as they continued to develop and enhance on the European stage.
“We have made nice strides this season from final season within the competitors.
“We have been aggressive. I needed us to indicate our degree all through the competitors and we have achieved that.”
Bayern have been in management for the primary 70 minutes on Wednesday however late lapses in focus allowed Celtic to chop the deficit by means of Daizen Maeda, giving them hope.
With away targets now not price extra, Celtic want a one-goal win to take the sport to further time — or a two-goal win to progress.
“No matter occurs on Tuesday, the fellows might be actually happy with what they’ve achieved and may look to construct on that.
“We all the time wish to maintain our boldness, however our humility is vital as properly. We perceive the dimensions of the duty, however we wish to go and provides the perfect we presumably can.
“We’re in a extremely good place, I believe it is an thrilling problem for us in Munich and an enormous alternative for us.”
– One other aspect of Bayern –
Like Celtic, Bayern are additionally properly forward of their home league.
After an uncharacteristically defensive efficiency in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at defending champions Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern sit eight factors clear with 12 video games to play.
Whereas Vincent Kompany’s males didn’t register a shot on track in a half of soccer for the primary time since at the least 1992, when the stat was first recorded, the dogged effort confirmed Bayern have the metal to grind out a consequence when wanted.
“How can I be upset?” Kompany requested in a post-match interview on Saturday, including “we simply got here again from a unbelievable lead to Glasgow and Leverkusen far outpace lots of the competitors within the Bundesliga.
“After all we are going to look to study from this recreation. However we now have been so, so, dominant on so many events this season it was good to see this aspect of the staff as properly.”
Such is Bayern’s relentless will to win that enjoying for a draw would usually be seen critically in Munich.
However this model of Bayern, stung by final season’s failure to win a trophy for the primary time in 11 years, appear to have a new-found appreciation of profitable ugly, making Celtic’s process much more difficult on Tuesday.
dwi/pb