Celtic’s Champions League woes examined after seven goal thrashing

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·2 de octubre de 2024

Celtic’s Champions League woes examined after seven goal thrashing

Celtic were battered in Dortmund last night after their own ambition to take the game to last season’s Champions League finalists backfired in spectacular fashion as the German side thrashed the Scottish Champions 7-1…

UEFA Champions League Borussia Dortmund Celtic Glasgow 01 10 2024 Fans of Celtic Glasgow with the choreo at the start of the match, flags UEFA Champions League Borussia Dortmund Celtic Glasgow Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund 01 10 2024 Photo BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Buriakov

That leaves Celtic on three points from two matches, yet the embarrassing scoreline coupled with the earlier 5-1 win over Slovan Bratislava means that Brendan Rodgers’ side is exactly were they expected to be at this stage.

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Atalanta away next

Atalanta away is next and the Europa League holders are arguably an even tougher opponent than Dortmund. Should Celtic play the same tactics that it could be yet more embarrassment for the Celtic support, who travelled in their tens of thousands last night.

Paul Lambert played with great distinction for both Dortmund and Celtic and earlier today on talkSPORT he gave an interesting assessment of the cause of Celtic’s woes in the Westfalenstadion.

UEFA Champions League Borussia Dortmund Celtic Glasgow 01 10 2024 Greg Taylor Celtic Glasgow, 3 , Julian Brandt Borussia Dortmund, 10 , Alistar Johnston Celtic Glasgow, 2 UEFA Champions League Borussia Dortmund Celtic Glasgow Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund 01 10 2024. Photo BEAUTIFUL SPORTS/Buriakov

“I never said it yesterday, but that’s exactly what can happen in that stadium. You’ve got to be a big, big player there to handle that atmosphere. If you don’t handle that, that’s exactly what can happen,” Lambert, who won the Champions League with Dortmund, said.

Criticism coming Celtic’s way

“And I think there’s going to be criticism coming Celtic’s way, but I think you’ve got to put it into perspective.”

Lambert believes that the lack of quality in Scottish football these days, coupled with the huge difference is finances between his two former clubs had a crucial bearing on the outcome. That though excludes debate on the tactical approach which looked like the major cause of Celtic’s problems.

Lambert added: “Celtic aren’t playing a St Johnstone, playing a Hibs, playing a Hearts. You’re playing a team, albeit five of those eleven played in the Champions League final last year.

Head coach Nuri Sahin Borussia Dortmund , Borussia Dortmund vs Celtic Glasgow, Football, Champions League, Matchday 2, 01 10 2024 Dortmund North Rhine-Westphalia Germany. Photo kolbert-press/MarcxNiemeyer

“So you’ve got to look at it in comparison with, rather than analyse it as a fan. I think you’ve got to look at it and say, ‘Well, how did that happen?’ “The standard of football in Scotland is nowhere near the same and that is a major problem.

Rangers are an absolute mess at the minute

“I think there’s an insular perception of Scottish football that we’ve got some really good teams, we haven’t. The level is not there anymore.

“When I played in the Seville game the year Martin O’Neill had was a phenomenal era. Celtic can’t compete with Borussia Dortmund financially. Rangers are an absolute mess at the minute so they can’t compete.

01 10 2024, UEFA Champions League, Borussia Dortmund v Celtic Glasgow, v Alex Valle Celtic FC , Julien Duranville Borussia Dortmund

“But you’re talking clubs that are global, worldwide football clubs that can fill any stadium in the world if you give them the ticket base but there’s no way that Scottish football can compete with teams like that, Borussia Dortmund, it’s impossible for them to do it because of the revenue.”

Celtic need to learn to pick their moments

There are factors but they don’t give the full picture. Celtic must learn to pick their moments to press, when to attack and more importantly when to defend. Essentially Celtic played the same way as they did at the weekend against St Johnstone, but the difference was that Dortmund were playing offensive football too and Celtic’s tactics played into their hands.

As we pointed out on The Celtic Star today, Celtic had only conceded four goals across nine competitive matches so far this season. Within 42 minutes last night they had let in five and became the first British team in 27 years to concede five goals in the first half of a European group stage game.

Losing seven goals is unacceptable and it’s hardly a one off, with Dortmund joining both Barcelona and PSG in inflicting a seven goal hampering on Celtic sides, all managed by Brendan Rodgers. Yet domestically in his two spells at Celtic the team has been unstoppable.

Bridging the gap in the Champions League has to be the key. Celtic are cash rich and can easily afford to strengthen the squad further in January and again next summer.