Prior to this match, the official Bundesliga website posted an article which stopped just short of suggesting that the Germans could advance to the last 16 without so much as requiring a jersey to be laundered.
Titled ‘Five reasons why Bayern will progress against Celtic,’ the piece would doubtless have been circulated on the WhatsApp group of Brendan Rodgers’ players.
From the neutral perspective, it was arrogant and disrespectful. Alas, its ultimate prediction seems unlikely to be off the mark.
By the end of a captivating encounter, though, the notion that this tie would prove to be a no contest for Vincent Kompany’s side could be dismissed.
Two goals down after 49 minutes, Celtic were facing the prospect of a mauling and certain elimination after the first leg.
They showed commendable steel and character thereafter, however, and got the goal their efforts deserved through Daizen Maeda.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers roars in frustration during the Champions League play-off
Michael Olise is mobbed by his Bayern team-mates after his sensational opening goal
Through their sheer force of will, they earned a lifeline. The task of turning the tie around in the Allianz Arena next week will be akin to climbing Everest bare-footed. But a slim chance is better than no chance. There’s a trace of hope for them in this contest yet.
The blunt truth is that no complaints could be offered about the outcome on the night.
An early scare and a frantic finale aside, the visitors ran the show and fashioned more chances than the Scots.
They were better on and off the ball, their powers of recovery whenever they found themselves in trouble, at times, remarkable.
There was never underestimating the scale of the task facing Rodgers’ players here. Back in their customary position at the top of the Bundesliga, Kompany’s men had lost just once in eight games since their winter break.
Europe hadn’t yet brought the best out in them, though. Five wins and three defeats saw them finish 12th in the 36-team league phase and miss the cut for automatic qualification for the last 16.
Characteristically, there was no shortage of confidence around the club that this would be the night when the six-times winners would engage top gear.
No player fuelled that belief more than Harry Kane. In his second season in Bavaria, the Englishman landed in Glasgow having scored 28 goals in as many games. He added another to his tally here to double Bayern’s lead after Michael Olise’s opener.
Perhaps only the famous musical clock in Munich’s Marienplatz is now more dependable than the former Tottenham man.
Celtic had earned their swing at the German giants. After years of merely participating in the group stage, a dozen points taken from eight games was a fine effort.
History was against them. Not since the 2003-04 victory over Barcelona had they won a European knock-out tie after Christmas. The last in the European Cup/Champions League had come in 1974 against Basel.
Celtic thought they might have had a penalty but Upamecano got to the ball before Engels
You wondered if the din inside the arena could possibly be louder than it was as the teams emerged.
Within 29 seconds we had the answer. The roof almost came off as Nicolas Kuhn cut inside and netted only for Adam Idah’s positioning to cut short the celebrations.
Who knows what shape the game would have taken had that one stood. Unruffled, Bayern took possession of the football and kept it as if their lives depended on it.
This was a role reversal of what Celtic routinely do to sides domestically. Unable to get up for air, the Germans penned them in, passed and probed. It could have got dispiriting, but Rodgers’ players stuck to their task.
They needed every bit of energy the crowd could give them. At times, you wondered is the visitors had an extra player on the field, possibly more.
Munich’s pace and physicality was striking. On one occasion, Arne Engels broke into the final third. Leroy Sane seemed to a make up two yards in a flash, bounced the Belgian off the ball and got another attack rolling.
Sane’s willingness to take the ball on the half turn was a constant menace. Jamal Musiala’s balletic skills repeatedly threatened to unpick the lock.
Although it took Munich until he cusp of half-time to edge in front, it would have been hard to dispute that their lead wasn’t merited.
Kasper Schmeichel had denied Olise. Kane was also kept at bay by the Dane and Auston Trusty while managing to dump a routine header in the side net.
Celtic were forced to suffer. The bending runs of Maeda and Kuhn offered an occasional out-ball, but Bayern’s defenders shut off most attempts to reach them.
Coming after 45 minutes of diligence and patience, the timing of the opening goal was a huge blow.
Dayot Upamecano’s long diagonal asked a question of Greg Taylor. The minute Olise controlled the ball on the flank, you sensed the full-back was in trouble. To be fair to Taylor, he was unfortunate as the ball rebounded off him and back to the Bayern man.
Having dropped a shoulder and cut inside, he unleashed a strike like a tracer missile to beat Schmeichel.
Daizen Maeda gave Celtic some hope by grabbing a goal to make it 2-1 going to Munich
There will also be regret in the camp about the concession of a cheap second four minutes after the break. Kane simply pealed into vacant space at the far post to lash home Joshua Kimmich’s corner full on the volley.
Much of Celtic’s pre-match optimism had stemmed from Maeda’s being freed to play. The pace of Konrad Laimer largely nullified Celtic’s speed merchant.
The glimmer of hope Celtic were praying threatened to come from a VAR-awarded penalty only for Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano to rule that Upamecano had pinched the ball before his standing on Arne Engels.
Maeda did manage to beat Manuel Neuer to a slack back pass, but having dragged the ball away from the keeper, he couldn’t convert.
There was still time for the Japanese to have an impact on the match. With 11 minutes remaining, Trusty kept an Engels’ corner alive and Maeda stuck out a leg to ease it past Neuer.
Having been cruising to victory, Bayern were certainly made to work for it. Celtic finished strongly.
Alistair Johnston thought he’d levelled it only for Neuer to punch his strike away.
You had it hand it to Celtic. They refused to roll over when it would have been easy to do so. They’ve given themselves just a ghost of a chance.