Celtic are set for a massive test as they prepare for their first UEFA Champions League knockout tie since 2012/13 when they were eliminated by Juventus. This is only the fourth time the Scottish league leaders have progressed to the knockout stages in the competition’s history, having failed to win the home leg in any of their previous attempts (D1, L2).
Brendan Rodgers’ side will be relying heavily on their home form, which was instrumental in their qualification for this play-off. The Hoops secured ten of their 12 league phase points in Glasgow (W3, D1), squeezing into the top 24. Rodgers is familiar with the challenge of facing Bayern Munich, having lost both encounters with them in the 2017/18 group stage. However, Celtic have already ended a five-match losing streak against Bundesliga teams this season, claiming an impressive 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig.
Bayern Munich arrive at Celtic Park in pursuit of a 17th consecutive Champions League round-of-16 appearance. Vincent Kompany’s men narrowly missed out on automatic qualification by a single point, with their struggles in away matches proving costly. The Bavarians have lost three of their four away fixtures in the competition this season, despite being strong favourites in two of those matches. Another defeat on the road would mark their worst-ever European away record in a single campaign.
However, Bayern’s history against Scottish opposition provides them with reason for optimism. They have lost just three of 19 encounters (W10, D6, L3), including a six-game unbeaten streak away to Scottish sides (W3, D3). Their last visit to Celtic Park in 2017 ended in a 2-1 victory, and with the German champions struggling defensively—keeping just two clean sheets in their last seven away games—another high-scoring contest could be on the cards.
Key Players to Watch
Celtic’s Adam Idah is in red-hot form, scoring four goals in his last three matches, including both of his side’s strikes in their most recent Champions League outing. For Bayern, Kingsley Coman is the only remaining outfield player from the starting XI that won in Glasgow in 2017, scoring the opener on that night. He was also on the scoresheet in Bayern’s last Champions League match.
Stat to Note
Celtic have failed to win 20 of their last 21 matches against former European Cup or Champions League winners in continental competition (D4, L16), highlighting the scale of the challenge they face against the German giants.
