Champions League
Fri, 31/01/25, 13:00
Celtic: All you need to know about Bayern’s Champions League play-off opponents
Bayern will play against Celtic in the knockout play-offs of the 2024/25 Champions League following Friday’s draw in Nyon. “Celtic are about passion and fighting spirit. It’ll be a big challenge. Our goal is clearly to progress to the last 16. We’ll have to give everything in the two legs to do that,” said board member for sport Max Eberl of the draw. Find out more about the reigning champions of Scotland, their iconic home ground and a former Bayern youngster in their ranks.
© Imago
Celtic qualified for the Champions League as champions of Scotland and ended the league phase in 21st place with 12 points. As expected, the Glasgow club were particularly strong at home, earning 10 points from four games at Celtic Park. They started their campaign with a big 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava before a chastening 7-1 defeat at Borussia Dortmund. But the Hoops then found their groove and went unbeaten in the next five games, including a goalless draw at Atalanta and a 3-1 win over RB Leipzig.
Vocal support
Their famously vocal supporters are a real boost for Brendan Rodgers’ side, who haven’t lost at home for over a year and are in a commanding position in the Scottish Premiership, holding a 10-point lead over arch-rivals Rangers. Celtic currently also have the edge over their city nemesis in terms of titles with 55 to 54.
Celtic’s squad
Nicolas Kühn has two goals and an assist in Celtic’s eight league phase fixtures. | © Getty
Celtic’s squad combines mentality, experience and youth. Alongside vastly experienced goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and captain Callum McGregor, they also boast midfield engine Arne Engels, who joined from Augsburg in the summer, and Nicolas Kühn. The 25-year-old German forward will be familiar to Bayern supporters, having played for the reserves between January 2020 and summer 2021. He was part of the team that won the 3. Liga title in 2020 before heading to Scotland via spells at Erzgebirge Aue and Rapid Vienna. He’s been in excellent form this season with 16 goals and 12 assists in 31 competitive appearances.
Nicolas Kühn won the 3. Liga title as a promoted team with Bayern’s reserves alongside Mert Yilmaz, Otschi Wriedt and Derrick Köhn. | © Imago
Celtic’s top scorer this season Kyogo Furuhashi joined Rennes in the winter window, but in return they re-signed Jota, who scored 28 times in 83 games for the Hoops between 2021 and 2023.
Bayern vs. Celtic: Head-to-head
Bayern last visited Glasgow in the 2017/18 group stage and won 2-1 thanks to goals from Javi Martinez and Kingsley Coman. | © Getty Images
Bayern have met Celtic four times before in the Champions League. Back in the 2003/04 group stage, FCB won 2-1 in Munich before a goalless draw in Scotland. The most recent encounters were in the 2017/18 groups as Bayern won 3-0 at home and 2-1 in Glasgow.
Recap Friday's draw here:
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