Bayern Munich scored either side of half-time through Michael Olise and Harry Kane but had to endure late pressure from hosts Celtic before securing a 2-1 victory in their Champions League play-off first leg.
Olise’s stunning shot in the 45th minute put the German side in front and Kane doubled the lead with a 49th-minute volley at the far post. Celtic cut the deficit in the 79th minute thanks to Daizen Maeda’s close-range header to inject late drama into the match.
The visitors, bidding to reach this year’s final to be played in their own Allianz Arena in Munich, had close to 70 per cent possession in the first half but struggled with Celtic’s disciplined backline.
Bayern did have a chance through Kane but it took a superb effort from Olise to break the deadlock on the stroke of half-time. The attacking midfielder controlled a deep cross from Dayot Upamecano, cut in and hammered an unstoppable shot into the top corner.
They struck again four minutes after the restart when Kane was left completely unmarked at the far post to volley in straight from a Joshua Kimmich corner. Kane’s goal made him the first English player to score 60 goals in Uefa club competitions.
Bayern were lucky not to concede a penalty in the 57th minute after Upamecano stepped on Arne Engels’s foot in the box, the referee deciding against a spot-kick after a lengthy VAR review.
The hosts came close in the 74th minute when Manuel Neuer was beaten to the ball by Maeda but the Japan international’s shot rolled parallel to the empty goal before being cleared. He did better a few minutes later, nodding in from close range to pull a goal back.
Bayern defended well as Celtic poured forward, and they needed a fine save from Neuer in stoppage time to hold on to victory ahead of next week Tuesday’s return leg in Munich to decide who progresses to the last 16.
10:13 PM GMT
Harry Kane’s reaction
Yeah our performance was okay. Whenever you win a game like this you’re pleased because it’s not an easy place to come. We scored at the right times but there are things we can do better.
We knew the atmosphere would give them some momentum at the start of the game. We also knew we’d have more of the ball, a lot of it around their penalty area, and that we needed to be patient. It was a brilliant goal from Michael and then we got the second just after half-time.
10:09 PM GMT
Halfway there
09:57 PM GMT
FT: Celtic 1 Bayern Munich 2
A noble effort from Celtic, but ultimately they were outclassed by an excellent Bayern Munich side. Michael Olise and Harry Kane finished superbly either side of half-time and though the tireless Daizen Maeda gave Celtic hope with a late header, they couldn’t get the equaliser they surely needed to have any chance in Munich next week.
09:54 PM GMT
90+6 min: Celtic 1 Bayern 2
It’s now or next week for Celtic. Bayern have managed added time really well.
09:52 PM GMT
90+4 min: Celtic 1 Bayern 2
Bayern frustrate Celtic by keeping the ball for the best part of 90 seconds.
09:50 PM GMT
90+2 min: Celtic 1 Bayern 2
Upamecano heads the ball out of Neuer’s hands to concede a safety-first corner. Engels takes and Bayern eventually clear after a mini-scramble at the near post.
09:50 PM GMT
90 min: Celtic 1 Bayern 2
There will be seven minutes of added time. Yang plays a nice angled pass into the underlapping Johnston, whose shot from the angle is pushed over the bar by Neuer. His positioning made it a relatively comfortable save.
09:48 PM GMT
89 min: Celtic 1 Bayern 2
Kane is down and needs treatment. I think Carter-Vickers accidentally headed the back of Kane’s head as they jumped for a high ball.
09:46 PM GMT
88 min: Celtic 1 Bayern 2
Bayern are passing the clock down. Celtic will want just one more chance.
09:45 PM GMT
87 min: Celtic 1 Bayern 2
Bayern substitution Thomas Muller comes on for Jamal Musiala.
09:43 PM GMT
84 min: Celtic 1 Bayern 2
It’s all Celtic now. Johnston stands up a cross that is half cleared to Schlupp, whose snapshot is desperately blocked. For the first time all night, Bayern are defending on the seat of their pants.
09:40 PM GMT
81 min: Celtic 1 Bayern 2
Chance for Celtic Hatate, 12 yards out, makes room for a fierce shot that is crucially blocked. I’m not sure which Bayern player it was but they may have saved a goal.
09:39 PM GMT
80 min: Celtic 1 Bayern 2
To say that goal has changed the atmosphere would be one of the understatements of the season.
09:38 PM GMT
Goal!
79 min: Celtic 1 Bayern 2 (Maeda) VAR permitting, Celtic have fresh hope. A corner led to a goalmouth scramble and a close-range header from Maeda. He was offside at one stage in the build up, but not when the ball was played towards him so the goal stands.
09:37 PM GMT
78 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
Bayern substitution Hiroki Ito replaces Raphael Guerreiro. This is his Bayern debut - he was signed from Stuttgart in the summer but has been out all season through injury.
09:35 PM GMT
77 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
Celtic substitution Hyunjun Yang comes on for Nicolas Kuhn.
09:34 PM GMT
76 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
19 - Harry Kane has scored 19 goals against Kasper Schmeichel in his career for club and country, five more than he has scored against any other goalkeeper. Chesney. pic.twitter.com/WJUdmOP0NZ
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 12, 2025
09:33 PM GMT
75 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
Now Maeda makes a block tackle on Neuer in the six-yard before! The ball could have gone anywhere but thankfully for Bayern it ricocheted to safety.
09:33 PM GMT
74 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
Chance for Celtic! Maeda does superbly to read a backpass from Guerreiro and go round Neuer, but the angle is really tight and he only reverse the ball back the face of goal rather than into the net.
09:31 PM GMT
72 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
A cross from the left reaches Gnabry beyond the far post. He forces a shot that Schmeichel saves well with his legs, then Kimmich is denied by a block tackle from Schlupp.
09:29 PM GMT
70 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
Bayern have a huge Bundesliga game against the reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday so it makes sense for them to conserve as much energy as possible. They’ve managed this game superbly from the 26th second onwards.
09:28 PM GMT
68 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
The tempo of the game is starting to drop. A Celtic goal would change that, but deep down you suspect both teams know this tie is over. Even if Celtic get back to, say, 2-2, they would need a miracle in Munich.
09:24 PM GMT
65 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
Double substitution for Celtic Jota and Jeffrey Schlupp replace Adam Idah and Greg Taylor.
09:23 PM GMT
65 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
Double substitution for Bayern Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman replace Leroy Sane and Michael Olise, who scored a spectacular opening goal.
09:22 PM GMT
62 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
Bayern have sat back a bit more since going 2-0 up, which has allowed Celtic to have their best spell going forward. But it does feel like Bayern have more gears if they need them.
09:20 PM GMT
59 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
Meanwhile, that goal from Harry Kane was his 29th in 29 games for Bayern this season.
09:17 PM GMT
57 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
No penalty! The replays show that Upamecano won the ball and then stood on Engels’ foot in his follow through. I’m not sure that’s a foul, and more importantly - after taking a fair bit of time to be sure - nor is the referee.
I don’t know why VAR escalated that because Upamecano won the ball ahead of Engels.
09:16 PM GMT
56 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
The referee is going to the monitor! It looks like Celtic are going to be given a lifeline. It was a clumsy and needless challenge by Upamecano, who stood on Engels’ foot just inside the area. Engels was originally given offside but then play was stopped for the VAR check.
09:14 PM GMT
54 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
VAR check for a possible Celtic penalty It was a challenge by Upamecano on Engels. Nobody really appealed but it’s being checked.
09:12 PM GMT
51 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2
Celtic’s first shot at goal (apart from the disallowed strike by Kuhn). Engels gets away down the right and picks out Hatate in space on the edge of the area. He doesn’t connect properly with a first-time drive and it deflects behind for a corner. I’m not sure the original shot was on target.
09:09 PM GMT
Goal!
49 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 2 (Kane) Sane’s shot from 25 yards deflects behind for another corner. Kimmich’s big inswinger finds Kane totally unmarked at the far post, and he slaps a left-foot volley past Schmeichel. It’s a brilliant finish from Kane but he had so much space.
09:06 PM GMT
46 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 1
Kimmich’s long-range stinger is comfortably saved by Schmeichel, then Musiala wins a corner. Bayern want to put this tie to bed right now.
09:05 PM GMT
46 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 1
Arne Engels gets the second half under way for Celtic.
08:51 PM GMT
HT: Celtic 0 Bayern 1
Bayern lead deservedly through a screamer from Michael Olise. Celtic are giving everything but there’s an inescapable difference in class. It all started so well when Nicolas Kuhn scored after 25 seconds, only for it to be ruled out because Adam Idah was offside. In truth, Manuel Neuer has barely touched the ball since.
08:47 PM GMT
Goal!
45 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 1 (Olise) Michael Olise has almost burst the net! It’s a savage blow to Celtic right on the stroke of half-time. Upamecano clipped a long, angled pass that was controlled neatly just outside the area by Olise. He slipped back inside Taylor, who really needed to show him down the line, and lashed a rising drive past Schmeichel at the near post. That’s a spectacular strike.
08:46 PM GMT
43 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Big chance for Kane! Olise curves the second corner beyond the far post, where Kane pulls off Johnston but hits the side netting with a downward header. He was backpedalling which made it a deceptively tricky chance even though he was only a few yards out.
08:44 PM GMT
43 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Sane wins a corner off Johnston, though Celtic were convinced the ball was already out of play before Sane crossed it. The corner leads to another, this time on the right.
08:41 PM GMT
38 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Out of nothing Celtic break three on two with Maeda on the ball. He can’t find an angle to the pass to the unmarked player on the far side so instead tries to twist inside Upamecano, who makes a vital challenge just outside the area.
08:40 PM GMT
38 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Maeda has his first run at Laimer and whistles a low cross that is cleared at the near post by Upamecano.
08:39 PM GMT
37 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Michael Olise’s shot in the 12th minute remains the only effort on target at either end.
08:37 PM GMT
35 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Bayern are again hogging the ball. Musiala plays a one-two with Guerreiro and is fouled by Johnston, who needs to be careful as he’s on a yellow card.
08:35 PM GMT
32 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Kane misses an excellent chance, heading too close to Schmeichel from Sane’s cross, although as it turned out he was offside.
08:34 PM GMT
31 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Musiala wriggles infield from the left and slides a square pass to Goretzka in the D. He spins an excellent first-time pass over the defence towards Sane, who is about to shoot when Schmeichel smothers the ball.
08:32 PM GMT
30 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Kane’s deft touch releases Musiala, who surges into the area but then overruns the ball under pressure.
08:27 PM GMT
26 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Celtic have had more of the ball in the last five minutes. They do look a bit nervous in possession, though, particularly in their own defensive third.
08:25 PM GMT
23 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
A promising break down the right from Celtic involving Kuhn and then Engels. He tries an imaginative reverse pass but it’s just behind the Celtic player in the middle.
08:23 PM GMT
22 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Celtic lose the ball just outside their area. Musiala plays in Kane, whose low drive from the angle is well blocked the sliding Trusty.
08:22 PM GMT
19 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Celtic will argue that, for all Bayern’s territorial dominance, Kasper Schmeichel has only had one relatively comfortable save to make so far.
08:19 PM GMT
19 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Olise plays in the overlapping Laimer, whose fast low cross almost breaks for Guerreiro. Kuhn nips in front of him to clear.
08:17 PM GMT
16 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Celtic are really struggling to get out. Bayern have had 68 per cent of the possession but their performance feels more dominant than that.
08:15 PM GMT
14 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Olise curls a deep cross towards Kane, who is about to go for goal when Johnston stretches to head behind. Vital defending.
08:14 PM GMT
12 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Good save by Schmeichel! Bayern are starting to take control. Kane finds Olise on the right side of the area; he wriggles inside Trusty and sweeps a shot that is turned round the near post by Schmeichel.
08:11 PM GMT
11 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Johnston’s pass out of defence is intercepted by Sane, who tries to play the ball through to Guerreiro in the area. Johnston makes an important challenge and Schmeichel dives on the loose ball.
08:08 PM GMT
8 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Olise’s corner is headed away well at the far post.
08:07 PM GMT
7 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Olise’s cross is turned behind by Trusty for a corner. Bayern are starting to dominate possession, with Celtic trying to expose their high line on the break.
08:05 PM GMT
4 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Laimer flashes a shot wide at the other end, though it turned out he was offside as well. The home crowd are still processing that disallowed goal.
08:03 PM GMT
1 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Celtic have a goal disallowed after 25 seconds! Nicolas Kuhn cuts inside from the right, 25 yards from goal, and fizzes a low drive past the unsighted Manuel Neuer. There’s an explosion of noise until everyone realises that Adam Idah, standing in front of Neuer, has been flagged offside.
08:01 PM GMT
1 min: Celtic 0 Bayern 0
Bayern, in their black change strip, kick off from right to left as we watch.
08:00 PM GMT
Time for action
The home fans are making an almighty racket. Somehow, I don’t think the game will get off to a cagey start.
07:52 PM GMT
A reminder of tonight’s teams
Celtic (4-3-3) Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Kuhn, Idah, Maeda.
Substitutes: Sinisalo, Bain, Scales, Jota, Yang, McCowan, Schlupp, Nawrocki, Kenny, Murray, Ralston.
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1) Neuer; Laimer, Upamecano, Dier, Guerreiro; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Musiala, Sane; Kane.
Substitutes: Ulreich, Urbig, Kim, Gnabry, Coman, Ito, Boey, Vidovic, Muller, Buchmann, Stanisic, Pavlovic.
Referee Jesus Gil Manzano (Spain)
07:43 PM GMT
Bayern’s dangerman
07:42 PM GMT
Everton 1 Liverpool 0
Beto has given Everton an early lead in the big game at Goodison Park. You can follow that game with the brilliant Rob Bagchi.
07:39 PM GMT
Every picture tells a story
Rod Stewart, probably Celtic’s most famous fan, has been doing the rounds before kick-off.
07:32 PM GMT
Bayern’s extra motivation
The Champions League final will be played at the Allianz Arena in Munich on 31 May, so Bayern are especially keen to go all the way. The last time they hosted the final, in 2012, they dominated Chelsea throughout and somehow lost on penalties.
The last team to win the European Cup on their home ground was Inter Milan 60 (S-I-X-T-Y) years ago.
07:17 PM GMT
Celtic’s proud home record
Celtic will do well to beat Bayern over two legs but a win tonight certainly isn’t beyond the realms. They can be extremely awkward opponents at Celtic Park, even for Europe’s biggest clubs.
In the 21st century alone Celtic have beaten all these teams at home: Juventus, Porto, Barcelona (twice), Manchester United, Benfica, AC Milan, Lazio, Feyenoord and RB Leipzig (twice).
07:08 PM GMT
The players on a yellow card
Celtic Alistair Johnston.
Bayern Munich Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry.
06:52 PM GMT
Bayern Munich team news
Vincent Kompany makes four changes to the XI that beat Werder Bremen 3-0 last Friday. Eric Dier, Leon Goretzka, Leroy Sane and Konrad Laimer replace Kim Min-jae, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Kingsley Coman and Sacha Boey. They join a star-studded bench that also includes Thomas Muller and Serge Gnabry.
06:46 PM GMT
Celtic team news
Brendan Rodgers made multiple changes for the Scottish Cup win over Raith at the weekend but there’s only one change from Celtic’s last league game: Nicolas Kuhn replaces Jota on the wing
06:40 PM GMT
Good evening
Good evening and welcome to coverage of the first leg of the Champions League play-off match between current Scottish champions Celtic and German giants Bayern Munich.
Brendan Rodgers’s side currently sit top of the Scottish Premiership table on 66 points, 13 points ahead of rivals Rangers in second. In fact, their sole defeat in the league this season was a 3-0 defeat to Rangers last month. Since then Celtic have won eight of their last 10 games in all competitions including an important 1-0 victory over Swiss side Young Boys in the the group phase of the competition that secured their play-off spot.
Ahead of tonight’s game, Rodgers has instructed his players to make sure they have something to play for going into next week’s second leg. “It’s very important to be very much alive in the tie,” Rodgers said. “This is about going and performing. If we can do that, we can hopefully get what we deserve. The mindset is that we’re going in, looking to win the game.”
Vincent Kompany’s Bayern are top of the Bundesliga table, eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen. The Belgian, in his debut season in charge of the German side, is not underestimating the challenge that awaits his team at Celtic Park. “Anyone that has a deeper understanding of football would understand the home record of Celtic in this competition,” Kompany said. “Throughout my career, I don’t remember Celtic losing at home in Europe. It is a fortress. We give it the respect it deserves.”
The sides have faced each other on four previous occasions in the Champions League. Celtic have never registered a victory but did draw 0-0 with the German heavyweights, at Celtic Park, in the group stage in the 2003-04 season. Their last meeting was in October 2017. Bayern won 2-1 courtesy of goals from Kingsley Coman and Javi Martinez. Captain Callum McGregor scored Celtic’s goal.
