Last night proved this Celtic squad is on the cusp of something special

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The Celtic Star

·19 February 2025

Last night proved this Celtic squad is on the cusp of something special

I hope you have all recovered from that gut wrenching sucker punch Bayern Munich landed on us in what proved to be the last kick of the ball in the Allianz Arena last night, as Celtic’s European dreams were ended in a match that will live long in the memories of those who witnessed it…

18 02 2025, Champions League, FC Bayern Muenchen vs Celtic Glasgow, Allianz Arena Muenchen, FC Bayern cheers for the equalizer while the Celtics suffer on the ground.Photo Imago

I have to admit I’m still struggling to process the heartbreak inflicted by Alphonso Davies late goal that is surely up there with one of the most horrible twists of fate to have happened us over these past few decades.

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Firstly I would like to thank every single player for the performance they put in last night. To a man they were excellent throughout and didn’t deserve to have all that they battled for ripped away in such a cruel fashion after the herculean effort they had put in to drag themselves back into the tie.

They ran themselves into the ground

They ran themselves into the ground all night and fully deserve a few days rest before heading back to domestic action and a tough game against Hibs on Saturday at Easter Road. Hopefully with a few changes to the starting line up we won’t show too much fatigue but we can’t complain if we aren’t at our swashbuckling best after their efforts midweek.

Callum McGregor Celtic FC – Bayern München – Celtic Glasgow / UEFA Champions League / 18.02.2025 / Allianz Arena / PHOTO Mladen Lackovic LakoPress

Although it ultimately ended in failure to progress to the next round of the Champions League, last night proved that we are more than capable of mixing it with the elite sides of European football. I, like most Celtic fans, headed into last night hoping to see a good performance that we could build on next season but what I witnessed was something that was truly unexpected.

The most cruel piece of misfortune

We squared up to Bayern Munich in their own backyard and didn’t blink. Well not until the 94th minute anyway. This wasn’t a back to the wall David versus Goliath situation. Celtic went to the Allianz Arena which Bayern Munich have made an absolute fortress over the years and went toe to toe against the German giants. We absolutely deserved to win and take the game to extra time. Only the most cruel piece of misfortune denied us that opportunity.

It was a fantastic overall performance. There were literally no negatives. From the managers team selection and tactics, to the players aggression and composure we looked every bit a top European side. Our passing was excellent. Our defence was rock solid. We utilised the ‘press’ better than I can ever remember.

Nicolas Kuehn of Celtic celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

If we had found our shooting boots earlier we could have been out of sight and that feels strange even writing that but it’s true. Yes, Kasper Schmeichel made a few great saves but that’s what you expect from a top goalkeeper like the Danish international. At no time did I feel like we were under the cosh. We looked just as dangerous when we attacked as Bayern did, maybe even more so at times.

That rancid away record will soon become a thing of the past

This squad will be devastated after this one but in the long run it will have done this group of players the world of good. They now know that they are capable of mixing it with the best teams on the continent. I think it has also created the blueprint going forward on how to approach European away games. We have been gradually improving in these fixtures as the campaign wore on and last night felt like that ‘eureka’ moment where it all clicks into place. Play like that on your travels in the future and that rancid away record will soon become a thing of the past.

Changed days

If we win the league this year we obviously have to still navigate a playoff tie to enter the Champions League next season. I absolutely hate those ties as there is so much riding on them but I have no fear about them this time. We are a Champions League team and we have proved that. We should be more than capable of easing into the competition proper. Then it will be really interesting to see how we perform after all the positive experience we have accumulated during this campaign.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic battles for possession with Leon Goretzka of Bayern Munich during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

The days of trying to just win your home games and not get embarrassed away are definitely behind us.

It’s onwards and upwards from here.

Hail Hail!

Conall McGinty