Bayern Munich may have dominated possession for large parts of their Champions League clash with Celtic in Glasgow, and gained a narrow lead, but a positive outcome from the second leg, while unlikely, is not unrealistic for Brendan Rodger’s side. Here’s four things we learned from Celtic Vs Bayern Munich.
Four Things We Learned From Celtic vs Bayern Munich
Celtic Have Been Competitive in Europe
The likelihood is that Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich have done enough in the first leg in Glasgow to give them the platform of going through to the next phase of the Champions League. But for Celtic, the positive aspect yet again was that Rodgers’ team looked competitive against top-class opposition and must realise that they belong at this level.
Questions were rightly asked of the quality that Rodgers had in his squad when his team were embarrassed and humiliated after losing seven goals to last season’s runners-up in the Champions League Borussia Dortmund. But wins over Slovan Bratislava, RB Leipzig and Young Boys, as well as draws with Atalanta, Club Brugge and Dinamo Zagreb saw Celtic pick up an impressive twelve points to qualify comfortably for the next stage.
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For seventy minutes of the first leg against Bayern Munich, Celtic were outplayed but defended well, obviously learning from the chastening experience of losing so heavily to Borussia Dortmund last October on Matchday Two. Since then, Celtic have looked very competitive and have learned so much from competing at this level.
Getting a clean sheet in Italy against Atalanta was the catalyst to Celtic believing they could compete with the best. Going two down to Aston Villa so early in the tie at Villa Park could have been another disaster but goals from the £9 million man Adam Idah got them back on level terms before Villa’s quality shone through. The trick now for Rodgers and Celtic is to get back to this level, something that will be more difficult now that automatic qualification for the Champions League for the Scottish champions is no longer guaranteed.
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Just Being Ahead of Rangers No Longer Enough
Domestic dominance has been a huge part of Celtic’s success over the years and the suspicion was that the club were always keen to do just enough to be one step ahead of Rangers. While Rangers struggle financially, Celtic’s success in the transfer market added to the riches that regular participation in the Champions League brings sets them well apart from the rest of Scottish football.
With thirteen games to go in the Scottish Premiership this season, and Celtic enjoying a thirteen-point lead at the top of the table, yet another domestic title will soon be theirs. To emphasise how dominant Celtic have become in Scottish football, that will be the thirteenth title from the last fourteen available. Success at home, while never easy or taken for granted, should be replaced by the new yardstick for success, being competitive with some of Europe’s elite. The Champions League is full of riches and most of the money goes to the top teams in the top leagues.
Daizen Maeda Can Play as a Striker in Europe
If regular European football against some of the giants in England, France, Germany and Spain is the new yardstick for success, then Daizen Maeda showed against Bayern Munich that he can be very effective playing through the middle as the focal point of Celtic’s attack. Celtic’s best spell in the game came when Idah was substituted, and Jota came on just after the hour mark. He played wide and Maeda went through the middle, a position he has taken up before for both club and country.
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Not only did Maeda get Celtic’s goal, but he could also have had another when his pace and reading of the game saw him intercept a back pass before taking it past Manuel Neuer in the Bayern goal. His shot almost went in but his energy in closing down the opposition was a constant threat in Celtic’s best period of the game.
Maeda has been Celtic’s best player this season, scoring twenty-one goals from his thirty-four games. This from a wide position is extraordinary but highlights how often Celtic are on the attack and how hungry Maeda is for goals.
If Rodgers Extends His Contract, Celtic Will Have to Spend Big Again
The return of Rodgers to Celtic, while not welcomed universally by the Celtic support, coincided with a big spend – in Scottish football terms – in the transfer market. Several Celtic managers have been in the hot seat before and after Rodgers’ first spell at the club, but no one has been allowed to spend as much as Rodgers did last summer. 21-year-old Belgian Arne Engels arrived at a cost of £11 million from German side Augsburg, Irishman Idah was £9 million from Norwich City and Auston Trusty was bought from Sheffield United for around the £6 million mark. Add the £7-8 million that saw the return of Portuguese winger Jota and it’s a huge amount of money in Scottish terms.
Former favourite Kieran Tierney will re-join the club in the summer to add even more quality, but will Rodgers be allowed to spend as heavily again? The former Liverpool and Leicester City boss signed a three-year contract when joining Celtic and it will expire at the end of next season. No one is aware of any talks as to whether he might extend his deal but if he does, he would want an assurance that Celtic spend wisely again to not only continue their dominance of the Scottish game but to be judged where so many fans want to see them compete, amongst Europe’s elite.
