Celtic were swiftly jolted by the harsh reality of the Champions League’s new format as they endured a crushing 7-1 defeat against Borussia Dortmund during Tuesday night’s encounter.
The elation of triumphing over Slovan Bratislava in the opening match was promptly overshadowed by a relentless German onslaught, highlighting the Bhoys’ defensive vulnerabilities. Manager Brendan Rodgers expressed disappointment over his players’ positioning and their inability to effectively challenge the home team.
For head coach Nuri Sahin, the resounding victory marked a remarkable turnaround from previous matches. Addressing concerns raised by a recent loss to Stuttgart and a narrow win over Bochum, Sahin reflected on Dortmund’s performance, declaring it a night of brilliance and progress.
In a post-match interview with Prime in Germany, Sahin shared his satisfaction, emphasizing the team’s superior attacking display and work ethic. He underscored the importance of relentless forward movement, citing it as a crucial factor that had been missing in previous games.
Midfielder Emre Can, who opened the scoring from the penalty spot for Dortmund, lauded the team’s exceptional performance. He acknowledged the strong start, emphasizing the need for such energy and intensity as the standard going forward. Can acknowledged the team’s near-perfect execution and expressed confidence in their ability to maintain such high standards.
Felix Nmecha, who made a significant impact coming off the bench, praised his team’s adherence to Sahin’s tactical directives. He commended the team’s composure on the ball, quick transitions, and unwavering intensity throughout the game. Nmecha stressed the importance of maintaining this level of performance as the new benchmark for future matches, highlighting the team’s impressive goal-scoring prowess in a long-awaited display of dominance.
Matthias Sammer witnessed his team establish new benchmarks. As a former player and current official at Dortmund, Sammer highlighted to Prime: “They have raised the bar tonight. Their structured gameplay and quick transition to the speedy forwards after gaining possession were commendable.
“Borussia Dortmund displayed intense focus throughout most of the match. Games like this always establish new benchmarks for me.”
The praise from Dortmund might not sit well with Celtic. Hearing the opposing team speak highly of their performance against Celtic can be tough to accept. While it was a positive experience for the home team, it serves as a stark reminder for Celtic.
Avoiding facing the reality of Tuesday night’s match won’t benefit anyone. The players and staff must analyze what went amiss and how Dortmund exploited their weaknesses to progress and make necessary improvements. With a challenging fixture against Atalanta in Italy looming in the tournament, things might get even more difficult before they start to improve for Celtic in this season’s Champions League.
