Celtic v Bayern Munich: German giants desperate for Champions League success
2025-02-11
Category: sports

Champions League play-off first leg: Celtic v Bayern MunichWhen: Wednesday, 12 February Where: Celtic Park, Glasgow. Kick-off: 20:00 GMTCoverage: Live commentary on BBC Sounds, text updates on BBC Sport app & website, highlights on BBC One & iPlayer
"Mia san Mia."Bayern Munich's club motto is not meant to come across as arrogant. Translated into English it means: "We are who we are."What they are is a winning machine. So you could forgive them for a touch of arrogance.This will be the Bavarian giants' third visit to Celtic Park as they and Brendan Rodgers' side target a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.Under Belgium and Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany, who made the jump from Burnley last summer, the six-time European Cup winners are desperate to make up for last season - their first campaign without a trophy since 2011-12.Bayern had won 11 successive championships before Xabi Alonso led Bayer Leverkusen to an incredible, invincible season last year, leaving Munich trailing in third.That led to some cruel jibes at Harry Kane's inability to win silverware - but given the England captain scored 44 goals in his maiden season in Munich, it is safe to say the blame did not lie at his feet.This term, 'Die Roten' have roared back with Kane's 28 goals from 28 games at the forefront of their charge to reclaim the league crown.They have won their past seven league games, scoring 23 goals in the process, and a 3-0 victory over Werder Bremen last time out hoisted them eight points clear of Leverkusen.Now, they have their eyes set on progressing towards Champions League glory, with the final at their Allianz Arena home at the end of May.
Superstars' stuttering away form gives Celtic hope
Given they are playing in this play-off round, it is clear Bayern's European campaign has had its ups and downs - with the lows mostly coming on the road as they missed out on a top-eight berth.They were beaten at Aston Villa and Barcelona in their first two away assignments in the league phase, having lost at eventual winners Real Madrid in last season's semi-final.That was the first time they had ever lost three successive away European matches, and Kompany's side were also well beaten at Feyenoord.One win from their last seven European trips suggests Celtic have an opportunity to get a positive result in Glasgow.That said, Kane - who scored two penalties in the win over Bremen - is just one of the superstars who are hoping to win the tournament, let alone this tie.In Jamal Musiala, 21, Bayern have one of the best young players in the world - as Scotland remember vividly after he starred for Germany during the Euro 2024 opener, scoring the second goal in a 5-1 rout.Veteran World Cup winners Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller are still huge players for the club, with the former recently signing a new contract at the age of 38.France internationals Kingsley Coman and Michael Olise regularly battle it out for starts with another Germany star Leroy Sane, in a frightening attacking line.And the impressive Joshua Kimmich plays as one of the Bayern sitters in midfield alongside 20-year-old Aleksandar Pavlovic.Kimmich has gone from Philipp Lahm's natural successor at full-back to the role of playmaker and it is a task he relishes.Left-back Alphonso Davies is likely to miss out due to a hamstring injury but midfielder Leon Goretzka returned against Bremen after a spell on the sidelines.Pavlovic has recently broken into the Germany national side and is eagerly anticipating the wall of noise that will greet Bayern at Celtic Park, before a potential title-deciding trip to Leverkusen between the two legs of this tie."It will be a very crucial, very special week for us," he told the media after Friday's victory. "Everyone is looking forward to the atmosphere in Glasgow."But I'm not intimidated."Mia san Mia, after all.