THE giant tifo which was unfurled by the occupants of the North Curve at Parkhead before Celtic kicked off the first leg of their Champions League knockout round play-off double header against Bayern Munich tonight declared they were “dreaming of another run”.
But the Scottish champions received a sobering wake-up call about the levels required to progress further at this stage of Europe’s elite club competition during the course of 90 largely one-sided minutes.
Brendan Rodgers’ team certainly competed valiantly with Vincent Kompany’s star-studded and expensively-assembled side for long spells and their supporters can be proud of their efforts.
They offered little going forward until late on, though, and slumped to a costly, possibly fatal, home defeat when they allowed first Michael Olise and then Harry Kane to score either side of half-time.
Daizen Maeda, who had only been cleared to play by UEFA on Monday night, pulled one back when he headed in from a couple of yards out following a shot by substitute Yang Hyun-jun.
However, it looks like Celtic's involvement in the Champions League will, barring a minor miracle in the rematch over in Germany next week, soon be at an end for another year.
Here are five talking points from a tough evening Callum McGregor and his team mates.
Early sickener
Nicolas Kuhn looked to have got Celtic off to a perfect start when he cut inside from the right flank and slotted beyond Manuel Neuer from the edge of the Bayern area after just 27 seconds. It was a virtual carbon copy of his opener against RB Leipzig back in November.
The stadium erupted, Kuhn was mobbed by his ecstatic team mates and some over-exuberant fans jumped over the advertising hoardings to celebrate with them. Their joy, however, proved short-lived as the strike was quickly disallowed for offside.
It was the correct decision by Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano as Adam Idah had been blocking the goalkeeper’s view. That decision would ultimately prove to be costly for Celtic.
Bayern class
There was universal delight at Parkhead when the Scottish champions progressed beyond the league phase of the Champions League last month – but at the Allianz Arena questions have been asked about why the German behemoths failed to finish in the top eight and go into the last 16 automatically.
Bayern were, after losing three of their previous eight outings, clearly intent on giving a better account of themselves tonight and showing they can reach the final at their own stadium in May. After surviving an early scare, they controlled possession and dominated completely.
Savvy Celtic
Rodgers has been heavily criticised during his two spells at Celtic for being too gung-ho against top continental opposition in the wake of humiliating defeats.
There was a definite shift in approach following the 7-1 drubbing at the hands of Borussia Dortmund at the Westfalenstadion in October and the subsequent displays against RB Leipzig, Atalanta and Aston Villa were a considerable improvement.
This was a continuation of that. The hosts defended in numbers – at one stage they had no fewer than seven players strung out across their penalty box and their rivals could find no way through. They were content to contain for long spells of the game and only broke on the counter occasionally.
Critics would perhaps suggest that it was, with far less pressing than normal in the final third of the pitch and the full-backs remaining in their own half, a negative game plan and argue they had to be more adventurous at home.
But the tactics made, with Kane, Leroy Sane, Jamal Musiala and Olise all capable of wreaking havoc in attack, perfect sense.
Kane is able
Kasper Schmeichel was always going to be put under pressure at some stage in proceedings, but he produced three outstanding saves to keep his side level. He pushed an Olise attempt wide, palmed a long-range Kane effort clear and then kept a Kane header out with his legs.
His father Peter, who was performing punditry duties for CBS Sports, would have approved of his showing.
Schmeichel could do nothing about the piledriver which French internationalist Olise rifled in just seconds before the end of the first-half. It was the worst possible time for Celtic to concede.
They fell further behind just four minutes into the second half when Kane volleyed in a Joshua Kimmich corner. Why the England captain was left unmarked at the back post was anybody’s guess.
Maeda lifeline?
Starting with Daizen Maeda on the left of the front three was, as the Americans say, a no brainer for Rodgers after Celtic won their appeal to UEFA to have the suspension he picked up against Young Boys last month reduced to one game.
The Japanese internationalist has been in superb form this term, had scored in the Champions League games against Slovan Bratislava, Borussia Dortmund and Club Brugge and had netted a hat-trick against Raith Rovers at the weekend.
Rodgers had expressed confidence that Maeda would be in peak condition even though he had, believing he would be unavailable due to his ban, played him in Celtic’s previous three games. He was. However, he received such limited service that he was unable to create or convert anything.
Rodgers’ men started to throw caution to the wind more after falling 2-0 behind. Reo Hatate got an attempt on target at 2-0 following good work by Kuhn and Arne Engels. There was a VAR review of a possible penalty offence during the build-up, but Manzano ruled that Dayot Upamecano had not committed any offence.
Jota came on for Idah, Jeffrey Schlupp took over from Greg Taylor and Yang replaced Kuhn – but Kompany threw on Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman for Sane and Olise respectively. It showed what Celtic were up against.
Maeda gave Celtic hope of a salvaging a draw when he found the target with 11 minutes of regulation time remaining. Alistair Johnston then had an shot saved in injury-time.
But it will take one of the best results in their history at the Allianz Arena next Tuesday for them to come back from this and book a place in the last 16.
