Bayern Munich secured a narrow 2-1 victory against Scottish champions Celtic in the first leg of their Champions League playoff tie. Star striker Harry Kane and teammate Michael Olise found the net, ensuring Bayern takes a crucial advantage into the return leg at Allianz Arena on February 18. With their next match on home turf, Bayern appears confident of progressing to the next round.
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany acknowledged the significance of the victory, emphasizing the rarity of Celtic’s home defeats in European competitions. The Scottish side, however, remains hopeful, with Daizen Maeda’s late goal giving them a fighting chance in the second leg.
Meanwhile, AC Milan joined Atalanta and Monaco in suffering defeats in their first-leg playoff fixtures. Feyenoord edged out Milan with a 1-0 win, courtesy of a goal in the third minute, capitalizing on a goalkeeping error from Mike Maignan. It was a difficult debut for Milan’s new signing, Kyle Walker, as Feyenoord’s Brazilian winger caused constant problems.
Elsewhere, Benfica secured a 1-0 win over Monaco, with Greece forward Vangelis Pavlidis scoring a brilliant chip in the 48th minute. The match took a turn for the worse for Monaco when Al Musrati received a red card just minutes later.
Club Brugge and Atalanta played out a dramatic encounter, with Brugge sealing a 2-1 victory through a controversial penalty in stoppage time. The referee’s decision to penalize Isak Hien for a light contact on Gustaf Nilsson led to a heated protest from Atalanta players. Nilsson converted the penalty, handing Brugge a vital first-leg win.
Despite Bayern’s win over Celtic, the match highlighted Harry Kane’s dominance over Kasper Schmeichel, a rivalry dating back to their Tottenham vs. Leicester and England vs. Denmark clashes. Kane’s sharp volley in the 49th minute marked his 19th career goal past Schmeichel, making him the goalkeeper against whom Kane has scored the most goals.
While Celtic faces an uphill battle in Munich, their coach Brendan Rodgers remains optimistic, urging his team to play with confidence in the second leg. “At 2-1, Bayern are hanging on. Let’s go and have no regrets,” Rodgers stated.
With several thrilling fixtures lined up, the Champions League playoffs remain wide open, promising more excitement in the upcoming second-leg encounters.
