Celtic face uphill task against Bayern …in Champions League play-off
Celtic face an uphill battle today at Allianz Arena, where they have to overturn a 2-1 first-left deficit away from home against Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League round of 16.
Harry Kane and Michael Olise gave Bayern a two-goal advantage at Celtic Park last Wednesday, but Celtic’s Daizen Maeda halved the scoreline with just over 10 minutes remaining to give the Scottish champions a glimmer of hope.
The hosts were arguably fortunate to have taken a lead heading into the second leg considering they only produced six attempts from inside the penalty area two less than Celtic’s figures of eight shots from inside the box.
Bayern will feel confident of progressing given they are unbeaten at home in the Champions League in 20 games, drawing on just four occasions in that time.
Meanwhile, Celtic posed a significant threat during the first leg particularly during counter-attacks and they could have taken the lead after 30 seconds, but Adam Idah was adjudged to have obscured Manuel Neuer’s view of Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn’s long-range strike from an offside position.
The Bhoys have had five meetings with Bayern in their history, with the Scottish team failing to win any clash, losing four and drawing one.
The visitors’ defeat against Bayern is the only match in their last five outings that they failed to score at least three goals in, with the club beating Dundee United 3-0 on Saturday in the top flight.
Rodgers’s team have triumphed in nine of their 12 most recent games, though their two defeats in that period came in the Champions League against Aston Villa on January 29 and against Tuesday’s hosts.
Celtic have also only won twice in their past seven away matches losing two and drawing three and are winless in 12 on the road in the Champions League having lost eight and drawn four in that period. —SportsMole
