Celtic suffer heartbreak in Munich
Bayern Munich 1 - 1 Celtic (Bayern Munich won 2-1 on aggregate)
Celtic’s Champions League journey came to a dramatic and heartbreaking end as Bayern Munich struck deep into stoppage time, sealing a 3-2 aggregate victory and crushing Brendan Rodgers’ side’s hopes of a stunning upset in Germany.
Having lost the first leg 2-1 at Parkhead, Celtic knew they needed a big performance—and they delivered. Nicolas Kühn fired them into a shock lead just after the hour mark, pouncing on a defensive error from Kim Min-jae to slot past Manuel Neuer.
The Hoops had already squandered several golden chances in the first half, with Kühn, Callum McGregor, and Daizen Maeda (twice) all going close. Meanwhile, England captain Harry Kane rattled the crossbar before being withdrawn at half-time.
Bayern, rattled by Celtic’s intensity, pushed hard for an equaliser. Leon Goretzka nodded wide, Joshua Kimmich forced a fine save from Kasper Schmeichel, and Leroy Sané drilled a shot inches past the post. As the clock ticked towards extra time, the relentless pressure finally took its toll.
In the dying moments, Michael Olise whipped in a cross that Goretzka met with a powerful header. Schmeichel produced a stunning save, but as the ball fell loose, Cameron Carter-Vickers’ attempted clearance was blocked by Alphonso Davies, who bundled it over the line to send Bayern through.
Best Celtic reaction
Celtic supporters were left devastated but immensely proud of their team’s performance.
Patrick, a lifelong Hoops fan, reflected on the campaign as a whole, saying: “You feared for us in the competition after that Dortmund game, but they’ve walked away from this Champions League run with great pride. They’ve learned a lot and are a stronger team than when they started. The players and Brendan Rodgers can build from here—although they need more squad depth for moments like this.”
Sean M shared his emotional reaction:“What a performance. Despite the cruel ending, I’m just so proud of the team and all the players. We took the game to one of Europe’s elite in their own backyard and left them stunned. When Kühn put us ahead, celebrating in a block surrounded by disbelieving Bayern fans, those are moments you never forget.”
Peter, who was in the away end in Munich, added: “We gave Bayern a real game. They had more possession, but we created plenty of chances—we just needed to take them. This proves we can compete at this level, and that should be the benchmark going forward. A brilliant campaign that every Celtic fan can be proud of.”
