BAYERN FOR BLOOD
Brendan’s Bhoys Mullered in Munich by rejuvenated German champions
BRENDAN RODGERS urged his team to play the Celtic way. Unfortunately Jupp Heynckes’s star-studded hosts decided to play the Bayern Munich way. Skilful and swaggering. Disciplined and confident. They were all too much for the Hoops to handle. This was another harrowing experience for the Parkhead men. Just because you are gaining experience in the Champions League doesn’t make it any easier. Faces as red as the exterior stadium lighting by the end. Not through embarrassment – as losing by three to Bayern offers no shame – but through sheer exhaustion having chased the brilliant Bavarians around for 90 minutes. For the 11th straight time in the group stages, the masters of Munich were victors on their own turf and barely gave Celtic a sniff. They were too good. Rodgers can accept that. What won’t have pleased him is the way his team gave away their foothold in the game by gifting away possession. Skipper Thomas Muller, Joshua Kimmich and Mats Hummels scored the goals. Three German World Cup stars who consigned Celtic to a defeat that takes earning a place in the last 16 virtually out of reach. Celtic are going to have to beat Bayern in Glasgow in 12 days to have any hope and, without being harsh, that is one very tall order on the evidence of last night. More realistically, Paris St Germain’s expected dousing of Anderlecht at least ensured no damage was done to the Parkhead side in the race for third spot in the section and a place in the Europa League after Christmas. It just might be that’s the safest competition to be in because seeing Bayern swagger, just a month after the French had taken five off Celtic in Glasgow, gave another clear indication in the gulf between Europe’s cream and the chasing pack and the ruthless nature of this elite tournament. Rodgers’ team gave everything, but it was another night which emphasised how far ahead Europe’s billionaires are ahead of those less financially fortunate. Early on Robert Lewandowski’s movement got him to the bye-line for a cutback that Thiago rifled home, only for Celtic to breathe when assistant Tikhon Kalugin flagged for the ball going out of play in a debatable shout. The striker sprang offside moments later and went down under a Lustig
tug. Again the officials upset Bayern. He’d get away again soon enough and take advantage. When Celtic did play passes they got some joy. Sinclair drove at the backline, so did Roberts and Arm- strong released Leigh Griffiths for a brief sighter before he was crowded out. There were 17 on the clock when Kimmich was able to pick a cross and with no pressure on the ball it let Lewandowski bust the line. Craig Gordon did well to claw out the point-blank header but Muller drilled home the rebound. Still it kept happening. No-one is suggesting it’s easy to take possession under the most intense pressure but Rodgers told them that’s what separates the best from the rest and harsh lessons were dished out. It just kept coming back. Rodgers looked skyward again as Ntcham, with time in his own box, opted to smash one up the pitch to nowhere. The manager’s point was rammed home as it was returned straight back to Celtic’s net via a lighting run and cross from Coman and a delightfullyplaced header from attacking full-back Kimmich. Coman had given Gamboa a torrid time down Bayern’s left. Full of pace and class. Mix in the sort of application that saw Robben race 60 yards back into his half to halt Sinclair’s breaking run and you’ve got the full package. Two-down at the restart, Celtic had to try and ensure the roof didn’t cave in. Roberts curled one just over immediately, but it was 3-0 within six minutes. Ironically, this time it came by trying to play it out, getting it wrong and conceding a corner. Robben whipped it into the heart of the box, Hummels lost Dedryck Boyata and powered home. Lewandowski had one chalked off for offside and Gordon made one special save. The Germans were just too good. Doing it the Bayern way.