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, shedding three of 5, however are dominant at dwelling.
Bayern haven’t misplaced in Munich within the Champions League since April 2021, a run of 20 video games together with battles in opposition to Actual Madrid and Manchester Metropolis within the seasons they received 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 in opposition to 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 dwelling soil in 33 video games courting 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 wished us to indicate our degree all through the competitors and we have executed 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 Daizen Maeda, giving them hope.
With away objectives now not price extra, Celtic want a one-goal win to take the sport to additional time — or a two-goal win to progress.
“No matter occurs on Tuesday, the fellows may be actually pleased with what they’ve achieved and might look to construct on that.
“We at all times need to preserve our boldness, however our humility is necessary as nicely. We perceive the dimensions of the duty, however we need to go and provides the perfect we probably can.
“We’re in a very good place, I feel 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 nicely 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 did not register a shot on the right track in a half of soccer for the primary time since a minimum of 1992, when the stat was first recorded, the dogged effort confirmed Bayern have the metal to grind out a end result 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 a whole lot of the competitors within the Bundesliga.
“In fact we’ll look to be taught from this sport. However we’ve been so, so, dominant on so many events this season it was good to see this aspect of the group as nicely.”
Such is Bayern’s relentless will to win that taking part in 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 successful ugly, making Celtic’s process much more difficult on Tuesday.
dwi/pb