Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers took “immense pride” from their Champions League efforts after they secured “European credibility” by pushing Bayern Munich until the final moments in Germany.
The Hoops were seconds away from forcing the knockout phase play-off into extra time after Nicolas Kuhn netted in the 63rd minute.
Celtic had created four good opportunities in the opening 20 minutes and matched Bayern for long spells.
But the hosts exerted some sustained pressure late on and Alphonso Davies scrambled the ball home from a yard out with the four minutes of stoppage time almost up to seal a 1-1 draw and 3-2 aggregate victory.
Rodgers said: “I can only take immense pride from the performance. The guys gave everything.
“European credibility was always going to be important for us this season. That’s my takeaway from this campaign, from the 10 games. We learnt some valuable lessons along the way, we played some amazing football along the way.
“We’ve taken a club of this size and magnitude and a club where one of the players is maybe more than our budget…
“So, everything that comes with that, it allows us to build. Last year I felt that we had developed, even though we never got the points. Performance-wise it was good. I think this season has been very good. We’ve made the progress that made me want to come back.

“Now we’ve got to finish the season off strong. We’ve got two titles to go for, get into the Champions League next season, look to build the squad again.
“My unswerving plan is to make this a seasoned club at this level, where we can hurt big opponents like Bayern Munich.”
Rodgers added: “We’ll look back to the first game and those little details around the goals that we conceded.
“But I think it can give us nothing but confidence to show that the template I spoke about defensively was very good. We limited them to not so many chances.
“We looked dangerous when we had the ball, we had some real good opportunities. Going forward, we can take confidence from it and we can build the squad in order to be competitive at this level.”
There was frustration for Celtic that Daizen Maeda did not get a free-kick after being caught in the face by the arm of Bayern defender Dayot Upamecano before the hosts went forward and ultimately scored in a different phase of the attack.
What. It. Means.#FCBayern #MiaSanMia | #FCBCEL #UCL pic.twitter.com/2UMafzmhMu
— FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) February 18, 2025
“That’s a little bit of our inexperience at this level,” Rodgers said. “Upamecano’s clever, he picks him up.
“It was a knock on the head. I felt the referee should have given the free-kick anyway or certainly stopped the game.
“Maybe a more experienced player or team might have stayed down and then the referee has to stop the game. But he didn’t, he played on and eventually they get the goal.
“We were disappointed that we obviously didn’t get that in the build-up.”
Leyton Orient remain on course for the Sky Bet League One play-offs after a 1-0 win which dented Wycombe’s hopes of automatic promotion.Randell Williams scored the only goal of the game and Orient’s victory, their fifth in succession, leaves them ahead of seventh-placed Reading on goal difference.Defeat for the Chairboys, though, has handed the initiative to Wrexham, who could seal the...

Doncaster clinched promotion to League One after goals from Rob Street and Billy Sharp secured a 2-1 win over 10-man Yorkshire rivals Bradford.In an incident-packed encounter in front of over 12,500 fans – the Eco-Power Stadium’s biggest crowd of the season – Doncaster hit the post through Jordan Gibson before on-loan Lincoln striker Street gave Rovers a 33rd-minute lead with his...

Reading’s hunt for a Sky Bet League One play-off spot will go to the final day of the season after the Royals beat Bristol Rovers 2-0 at the Memorial Stadium.Lewis Wing’s eighth league goal of the season after 67 minutes and Chem Campbell’s added-time effort leaves the Pirates staring at relegation after Noel Hunt’s side had to survive a first-half onslaught from the hosts....

Jamie Andrews struck a late equaliser as Woking twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Eastleigh in the National League.Tyrese Shade put the visitors in front after 14 minutes, played in on goal by Ben Close before finding the bottom corner of the net.Woking then drew level three minutes before the break when Aiden O’Brien headed in from Jacob Jones’ free-kick.Shade had Eastleigh back...

Port Vale secured automatic promotion to League One after beating AFC Wimbledon 2-0 at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.Second-half goals by Jayden Stockley and Jaheim Hedley ensured Vale would finish in the top three and also made a dent in the home side’s push for the play-offs.Vale created the first real attempt of the game which saw Lorent Tolaj fire over from 12 yards out following a cros...

Zian Flemming and Jeremy Sarmiento both scored twice as Burnley emphatically maintained their Championship title hopes by hammering QPR 5-0 in their penultimate match of the season.Josh Cullen also netted in a one-sided game as the Clarets, already promoted along with Leeds, won with ease to move to the top of the table, three points ahead of the Yorkshire side.However, Leeds, who are at home to B...

Nicolas Jackson ended his long goal drought to fire Chelsea a step nearer to the Champions League with a 1-0 win against Everton at Stamford Bridge.A dominant display was capped by the winning goal scored midway through the first half, the striker’s first since December 15 finished confidently from 20 yards past Jordan Pickford as though he had been scoring every week, as suspended head coac...

Celtic clinched the William Hill Premiership title in style with a 5-0 victory over Dundee United at Tannadice.Nicolas Kuhn and substitute Adam Idah both hit doubles after Ryan Strain’s 30th-minute own-goal kicked off the rout.Celtic had only needed a point but they wrapped up their fourth consecutive championship in similar fashion to last year, when a 5-0 win at Kilmarnock earned Brendan R...

Chris Wilder labelled his side’s 2-0 win over Stoke a “proper away performance” as they got back to winning ways.The Blades had seen their automatic promotion hopes ended after losing four of their previous five, including their last three matches away from Bramall Lane.An improved showing saw Sam McCallum, making just his eighth start of the campaign, score late in the first hal...

Goals from Sam McCallum and Andre Brooks ensured Sheffield United returned to winning ways with by beating Stoke 2-0.The Blades had seen their automatic promotion hopes ended after losing four of their previous five, including their last three matches away from Bramall Lane.McCallum had scored just one goal since his summer move from Norwich but popped up at the back post when Rhian Brewster&rsquo...



- 1 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 2 Cole Palmer’s girlfriend Connie Grace dazzles in low-cut top and mini skirt
- 3 Man Utd & Man City join PSG in race for Akliouche
- 4 We always have a chance – Miron Muslic bullish as Plymouth boost survival hopes
- 5 Tottenham to compete with Man City for defender
- 6 Ten-man Falkirk beaten by Raith as late goals keep title race alive
- 7 Big Brother legend Chanelle Hayes flaunts weight loss in red bikini
- 8 Transfer news & rumours LIVE
- 9 Daily Laugh - Totttenham 1-2 N Forest
- 10 Conor Gallagher's girlfriend dazzles on red carpet as stars gather in Madrid