Chest out confidence key to Celtic’s Munich chances | OneFootball

Chris Sutton reckons it is time for Celtic to shed an inferiority complex in the Champions League at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Tuesday evening if they are to stand any chance of creating a shock by knocking Bayern Munich out.

Writing in his newspaper column this morning, the former Celtic striker reckons that Brendan Rodgers’ side spend an hour thinking that Bayern were better than them yet when they decided to go find out for sure they came within a whisker of pulling back the two goal deficit.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic scores against Bayern Munich in the Champions League match on February 12, 2025. Photo IMAGO.

If Celtic can start the game on Tuesday the way that they finished the Celtic Park contest then Sutton reckons that Celtic could surprise everyone even themselves.

“I just sensed a fear in the opening period of the game. A trepidation. There’s a very fine-line between being respectful of top players and being fearful of them. I just felt Celtic edged the wrong side of the line in the beginning.

“It was as if some of the boys in the team acknowledged that Bayern had superior players and performed as such,” observed Sutton via his weekly column in Daily Record.

“Celtic’s MO is to play forward. Try to advance through the pitch. At times they managed it, but on other occasions, they would shift it up to the middle of the park and then, suddenly, turn back the way as if not confident in continuing the movement,” Sutton stated.

“Now I’m not advocating simply giving the ball away cheaply trying passes that aren’t on. That’s just plain stupidity and there are times to recycle it and keep it and give yourself a breather and a foothold.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic scores against Bayern Munich in the Champions League match on February 12, 2025. Photo IMAGO.

“But there were other moments I noted when that didn’t appear the case and the choice looked to be taken through a basic worry.

“The final 25 minutes just reinforced my feeling. When Celtic fell two goals behind, it was as if the shackles came off and the fear disappeared through a feeling of: Well, we’ve nothing to lose now. We might as well have a crack at this.

“At that stage, Rodgers’ team got more aggressive, they got more daring, they began to stand up to the Germans and not just physically.

“Now I’ll be honest, I got the impression Vincent Kompany’s team took a foot off the gas when the second goal was scored. To my eye, they felt it was job done and started to play more keep ball.

Daizen Maeda causing havoc in the Bayern Munich defence. Celtic v Bayern Munich, Champions League play-off, on 12 February 2025 at Celtic Park. Photo Imago.

“Having been aggressive in their defensive positions during the first hour, their backline, out of nowhere, started to drop. Their midfield provided a bit less pressure in their press and Celtic managed to get themselves moving forward. That’s not being churlish and taking away from Celtic’s fightback, it’s just how I read the motion of the game.

“Having been on the back-foot, you had Alistair Johnston in the opposing box shooting and being denied an equaliser in injury-time.

“I’d have sat in that dressing room afterwards and wondered: What if we’d started like that? Whilst being controlled about it, Celtic have to find a way to maintain that momentum from the final stages from kick-off in Munich.

“You can’t criticise Rodgers for being gung-ho and then complain if his team don’t go all out to turn the tie around. He, and we, know that would be plain daft. But there’s a balance and having the chest-out confidence to strike it will be key to their chances and the manager has decisions to make on his team.

“Daizen Maeda’s switch through the middle from wide after Adam Idah went off helped on Tuesday and there has to be a temptation to play him there from the start in Munich with Nicolas Kuhn on one side with Jota the other,” Sutton said.

Hyunjun Yang lifts his jersey as the final whistle blows with Reo Hatate on the ground in front, dejected Celtic v Bayern Munich, UEFA Champions League, Knockout Round Play-offs, First Leg, Football, Celtic Park on 12 February 2025 Photo Stuart Wallace Shutterstock

While Sutton’s assessment is hard to argue with, there does need to be an appreciation of the difference in squad values, which flips the situation Celtic faces in domestic football where invariably money talks.

That does mean a shock can’t happen and with Jota, Maeda and Kuhn up front the chances to get in behind Bayern as Feyenoord recently did to great effect with their 3-0 win over Bayern in Rotterdam.

Our chance is small but you never know and without that chip on our shoulder there is hope. Brendan will believe, so should we.