Bayern Munich Edges Out Celtic in Champions League Playoff First Leg

2025-03-01

Bayern Munich secured a narrow 2-1 victory over Celtic in the first leg of their Champions League playoff tie at Celtic Park on Wednesday, 12 February 2025. Goals from Michael Olise and Harry Kane gave the German side a crucial advantage heading into the second leg, while Daizen Maeda’s late strike offered Celtic a glimmer of hope.

The match began with Celtic showing early promise, but Bayern’s quality soon shone through. Olise broke the deadlock just before half-time with a stunning strike from 18 yards, leaving the home side trailing at the break. Kane doubled Bayern’s lead early in the second half, capitalising on a defensive lapse to volley home from close range. Celtic, however, refused to capitulate and pulled one back in the 79th minute when Maeda bundled in a corner to set up a tense finale.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers admitted his side were “a little passive” at times but praised their resilience in the latter stages. “We needed to be more aggressive, and after conceding the second goal, we came alive,” he said. Rodgers also highlighted the threat posed by Kane, calling him “the best striker in the world” and lamenting the lapse in concentration that allowed the England captain to score.

Bayern’s Kane acknowledged the difficulty of playing at Celtic Park, describing it as a “tough place to come.” He praised his team’s patience and moments of quality, particularly Olise’s opener, which he said “opened the game up.”

The result leaves Celtic with a mountain to climb in the second leg at the Allianz Arena next week. While Rodgers expressed confidence in his team’s ability to compete, Bayern’s experience and firepower make them strong favourites to progress to the round of 16. Celtic will need to produce a near-perfect performance in Munich to keep their Champions League dreams alive.

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