Champions League 24/25

An overview of the 24/25 European campaign. From that harrowing night in Dortmund, to the dreams, almost realised in Munich

For the first time since 2013, Celtic progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League, displaying a newfound competence at the highest level.

After three consecutive seasons of participation, experience in the competition has accumulated, leading to improved results and performances. Also returned is the steadfast home form, upon which previous successful campaigns have been built.

The dust has now settled on the Champions League campaign. A journey in many ways, and despite the glorious failure, a resounding success.

The opening game saw Celtic dismantle Slovakian champions, Slovan Bratislava, 5-1 at Parkhead. In the awkward role – at this level anyway – of being favourites, Celtic produced a slick, attacking display to emphatically dispatch the Slovakians. 5 goals going on 15, 3 points, and in the top 8 after matchday 1. A perfect start. Having waited 10 years to win 1 home game, it was now 2 in a row and 3 unbeaten.

Heady heights proceeded dismal lows. Matchday 2 saw Celtic travel to Borussia Dortmund. It was a harrowing night, comparable to the worst displays we’ve seen in Europe. The habit of conceding goals in pairs or bunches returned, and anything that could go wrong did. Anything that Dortmund - specifically Adeyemi - hit seemed to make its way to the corner of the net. It was a humiliation that was hard to dismiss.

The fallout was thorough and existential. Re-igniting the conversation of where and if Celtic belong at this level. Rodgers faced an inquest regarding his tactics; the belief being that to get results, a more conservative approach was needed. The manager has recently alluded to the team getting carried away and “emotional” after Maeda’s early equaliser.

This honesty is welcomed and the revelation makes sense, considering the tactical evolution of the team since. Whilst he didn’t admit failings at the time, the next game was a massive departure in terms of set up.

A stingy, hard-fought 0-0 draw revealed a different dynamic to this team that we hadn’t seen before. Sitting low and banked up, Celtic were able to absorb the pressure, where they previously would have subsided. It’s not everyone’s ideal, but to have tactical versatility is vital. With 36 teams now involved, we see a far broader church of tactics and shapes; the ability to alter or adapt on demand is a great attribute.

This pragmatism was followed by a swashbuckling display at Parkhead on matchday 4. A comprehensive and stylish 3-1 win against RB Leipzig. It’s been a long time since Celtic won a Champions League game, against good opposition – 2^nd in Bundesliga at the time -with such authority, with something to spare. 590 completed passes, 60% possession, 3 goals – could have been 5/6 - Celtic looked superb.

On reflection, this performance has been the highlight of the season for me. The football played that night, on that stage, was quite dizzying, and it is by far the most cohesive and technical iteration of Celtic in the last decade. Direct, determined, and assured - on and off the ball – the players had arrived in the Champions League. Sitting on 7 points with 4 games to play. Talk of a top 8 finish seemed justified.

This wasn’t to be; draws at home to Brugge and away to Zagreb put a halt to the momentum, and both displays seemed underwhelming at the time.

Club Brugge -who we’ve seen are a good side - exposed certain inabilities; catching Celtic cold, smothering our build-up, and hushing an expectant crowd. Only an exquisite, off-the-cuff moment of improvisation saved us on the night. It was the beginning of the new - version 2.0 – Maeda. The talismanic Japanese forward received the ball at an acute angle with his back to goal. A smart, adapted Cruyff turn, bought a yard and just enough of an angle, to produce an inch-perfect, curled finish inside the far post. It was out of nowhere and a solitary moment of inspiration, on a night devoid of it. Parkhead bellowed in surprise and relief.

The 0-0 draw in Croatia on matchday 6 seemed like an opportunity missed, but again, Dinamo finished on 11 points and scalped Milan in their final home game. Another point away from home and another clean sheet is cause for encouragement.

Without delving into the stats too much, shutouts have been extremely rare for us in Europe, especially away from home. I feel this illustrates the upward trend and or better habits well. In all honesty, I didn’t think we had it in us.

The Young Boys game was a nervous affair. Set against a backdrop of a relentless, domestic fixture schedule, in which games came every 3 days but carried little jeopardy.

This was an unfinished job that loomed large over the festive period. The prize of knockout football in Europe sat wrapped up under the tree, ready to be torn open. Many looked upon the game as a formality, but expectation is no one’s friend in football. Despite the Swiss champions' awful campaign up to Matchday 7, they provided a tough test. Celtic were slick and eager in the first half; only hair-trigger offsides and a missed penalty saw the game scoreless at half time. The tension was palpable.

Certainty, we would score had given way to doubt, Young Boys started to grow in confidence and possession. A culmination of previous disappointments at this level, extensive and archived by season, flashed before our eyes, a reel of poor luck and incompetence in Champions League games gave this a distinct, here we go again look.

We were made to wait until the 87th minute for the breakthrough. Adam Idah ran onto a perfectly weighted, curled, defence-splitting pass from Reo Hatate. Having cut the ground of the defender and let the ball roll across his body, Idah’s bottom corner attempt was saved by Keller, only for it to ricochet fortuitously off Benito, into his net. Progression secured, Parkhead erupted.

As we’ve grown accustomed to in these group stages, the final game – Aston Villa(A) - was a dead rubber. This time, though, it was for the right reasons. Having already secured a spot in the knockout round, pressure was off at Villa Park.

It never doesn’t matter though. Celtic found themselves two down within 10 minutes – a habit seemingly mastered by us in Europe – and staring down the barrel of another chastening, against a Villa side, chasing a top 8 finish. The team rallied, beginning to play with freedom, confidence, and precision. Two well-crafted goals – the second especially - were finished by Adam Idah to level it up 2-2 at halftime. Celtic had demonstrated their skill and well-rehearsed attacking rotations, but also, for the third time in the group stage, had pulled themselves level, from a losing position. Growth.

Villa would go on to win 4-2, but it was a worthy exercise and another learning point for the team.

The prize for all this was a two-legged tie against Bayern Munich. Glamorous and yet a stark reminder of where we stand at this level. Dreaming is harder with your nose pressed firmly against the glass ceiling. There was little chance of progression, but it was an opportunity nonetheless.

In the first leg, the low block offered the Germans too much territory and possession, Celtic hung in right to the last kick of the first half. A devastating finish from Michael Olise was a pronounced example of the quality of the opposition. Harry Kane added a second early in the second half - at this point, it looked ominous. Hanging on by a thread, Celtic refused to unravel.

A more daring approach followed for the final 30 minutes; players and the crowd suddenly came to life. Maeda pulled one back, making Parkhead swell with belief. It finished 2-1, but something had been gained and the Germans had looked unsettled late on. Pressed and harried by Maeda, the composure and time they had in the first half had been disrupted; a glitch had been found.

Tactically, the second leg was somewhere in between. A nuanced approach, fluid with and without the ball. Expertly coached by Rodgers, the individuals and the collective reached new heights. In small bursts, possession was recycled enough to maintain shape and energy levels; there was also an inventive confidence going forward.

In the 64^th minute, Celtic went one up. Kuhn made no mistake this time; after the ball had broken into his path, he slipped it past Neuer, sending the away support into rapture. The Allianz. Celtic, after spurning the best chances of the match, had finally got their rewards for their bravery, and with 25 minutes to play, the tie was level.

Not long after this Arne Engels sent a deep, angled pass in behind the Bayern back line. The ball was exquisitely timed and, after its bounce, sat up invitingly for Maeda to meet with his head. Time stood still. Maeda connected well but just couldn’t gather the power on his header to beat Nauer. Bayern looked shook and at this point Celtic, although never in total control of the game, had defended with confidence.

The game is a cruel mistress, however, and in the most devastating fashion possible, with the game 30 seconds from extra time, Bayern scored. What seemed innocuous was suddenly a flat cross behind Celtic’s defence. Schmeichel parried a smart header that fell to the feet of Cameron Carter-Vickers. His clearance was blocked by Alphonso Davies and bundled into the net. Seconds from full-time, it was a horrible end to what was almost the club’s best night in Europe for decades.

Not one for the birthday card sentiment that followed, but Celtic had been validated, and Rodgers himself spoke of “credibility restored” at this level. A quip that summarises the support’s feeling well. The home form, the fortitude and versatility shown, the collective and individual experience gained, and importantly, the tactical nuances learned, provide a solid standing going forward. Consolidation of these standards and progress is the next step.

It's been a while, but we have been here before, and ultimately, the big question -as always in football - is what's next?

Opportunity knocks, but are the club willing to kick the door down, or break the “glass sealing” of the first knock-out round? The plan – the most logical one – should be, to further enhance the first-team squad. Add to its quality, while also building a further layer of depth.

The lack of which was evident across both Bayern ties and glaringly obvious in the last 30 minutes of the away leg. After such exertion off the ball, fresh legs were needed; Rodgers, albeit with limited options, chose to make only two substitutes. It illustrates that outside 14/15 players, there is a soft underbelly to the squad, which is not quite up to scratch. Also important to underline is the arduous task of Europe when coupled with domestic pursuits. In total, Celtic played 57 competitive games this season; a number well above the average season for a lot teams

Kieran Tierney is coming back. A fully fit Jota will help, as will the natural progression of players who have banked considerable experience in the competition. The correct reinforcements could solidify the improvements made and see us push on. Easier said than done.

As is, getting to the start of next season with this team intact. It would be great to keep this team together and go again, but that's rarely the reality, and summer will be a long wait to see who we retain. One player we cannot afford to lose is Daizen Maeda. Shelve the model, shred the plans, let the accountants call until blue in the face. Rules need exceptions, and keeping the Japanese forward is pivotal to next season’s prospects.

Next season will see us go into the play-off round to gain qualification. Being seeded is a massive advantage, but tales of caution are not hard to find.

Standards have now been set, and failure to qualify would feel like a massive anti-climax. The rewards for qualifying are huge financially, but as fans, this is what we wish for, where we want to be, where we feel we belong.