“It was a really, really impressive performance from Celtic,” Alan Shearer

The Celtic Star

·21 February 2025

“It was a really, really impressive performance from Celtic,” Alan Shearer

This week has been one of mixed emotions for Celtic supporters, with the team coming so agonisingly close to an historic first ever victory on German soil…

Merchandise for sale outside the stadium prior to 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 Bhoys outfought Bayern Munich

The Bhoys outfought Bayern Munich for the majority of our Champions League play-off in the Bavarian city and were seconds away from giving them a bloody nose, had it not been for the referee failing to stop play for a head knock on Daizen Maeda.

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The mighty Munchen were made to look very average due to the nous and tenacity of Brendan Rodgers and his Hoops team, as we should have been a few goals up at half-time in the match. Callum McGregor, Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kühn all had superb opportunities to get us in front in that opening 45 minutes inside the Allianz Arena, but we just couldn’t muster that final coup de grace.

Nicolas Kuhn scores past Manuel Neuer 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. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Nicolas Kühn did give Celtic a well deserved lead

However, Nicolas Kühn did find the net in the second-half of the knockout rounds tie against the Bundesliga champions, giving hope that the dream may be on to millions of Celtic fans worldwide. We just couldn’t see it out though, and whilst we can be extremely proud of the team’s efforts, can also view it as an opportunity gone begging.

Alan Shearer had the same train of thought on the whole event, citing that if Celtic had a clinical edge with a top-class finisher, we would have been out of sight in the game.

Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, he said: “It was so cruel. I must admit, before the game, I saw them making it difficult at times, but I did not see them playing as well as they did. I tell you what, if they had a finisher up top, they would be in the round of 16 now, there’s no doubt about that.

Highlights on Celtic TV

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 Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

Three or four unbelievable changes

“They had three or four unbelievable chances in the first 20 or 30 minutes. They were knocking it around, every player was comfortable, Brendan Rodgers got his tactics spot on. It was a really, really impressive performance from Celtic. Their movement, everything about them looked really good.”

Celtic bench too weak for elite level football

It’s undeniable now that the club – which by that I mean the Board – dropped the ball when it came to recruitment once again this January transfer window. With the addition of Jota and Jeffrey Schlupp, it made us far stronger down that left-hand side. Even with that though, the omission of another finisher in the team to replace the goals and experience we lost in Kyogo was costly, and they must rectify that this summer.

As Chris Sutton pointed out this week, the Celtic bench was nowhere near strong enough at this elite level of football and eventually we paid the price for that.

The only people letting Celtic down these days is clear for all to see…

Paul Gillespie