Bayern Munich vs Celtic

Allianz Arena is the venue as Bayern Munich and Celtic go head-to-head in the first leg of their exciting Champions League knockout playoff tie.

Goals on either side of halftime saw Bayern Munich clinch a vital 2-1 win in Glasgow last week before sharing the spoils with direct Bundesliga title rivals Bayer Leverkusen in a goalless away draw at the weekend. Heavily fancied to progress without much fuss, Vincent Kompany’s charges return to the Allianz Arena, where they haven’t lost any of their last 20 Champions League fixtures (W16, D4). Moreover, Kompany has won all four home matches in this competition since taking charge of the Bavarians, including a historic 9-2 rout of Dinamo Zagreb on matchday one. Therefore, a 21st consecutive foray into the Champions League last-16 looks like a virtual certainty, not least because the record-time German champions boast five successive home European wins against Scottish opposition. 

In the meantime, Celtic’s late pullback in Parkhead left them alive in this tie as they bid to maintain their first Champions League knockout adventure in over a decade. In order to do so in 90 minutes, Brendan Rodgers’ charges must win by a two-goal margin, a feat they’ve achieved across their last four competitive triumphs. However, beating one of Europe’s best teams in such a manner borders on the impossible. Further skepticism comes from Celtic’s dreadful record of losing their last nine European ties after a first-leg defeat. Furthermore, they’ve never progressed from a European knockout tie when losing the first leg on home turf. Worryingly, the Hoops are winless in their last 12 Champions League away games (D3, L9).