Celtic endured a painful 7-1 defeat at the hands of Borussia Dortmund, a result that highlighted their ongoing struggles in European competition, particularly away from home. This defeat made Celtic the first British team in 27 years to concede five goals in the first half of a European group stage match, underscoring the team’s persistent difficulties on the European stage under Brendan Rodgers.
Celtic’s record in Europe, especially under Rodgers, has been a concern for many fans. Despite his domestic success in Scotland, his Celtic sides have frequently suffered heavy defeats in Europe, including 7-0 against Barcelona, 7-1 against both PSG and Dortmund, and 6-0 against Atletico Madrid in a previous campaign. This has led to calls for Rodgers to adopt a more pragmatic approach in these high-stakes matches, rather than trying to go toe-to-toe with Europe’s elite teams.
The defeat against Dortmund was particularly painful as it showed that Celtic were unable to cope with Dortmund’s attacking prowess, often being exposed by defensive errors and a high-pressing strategy that left them vulnerable. Fans and pundits have questioned why lessons from past European campaigns haven’t been learned, especially after Rodgers showed a more compact, cautious approach during his time with Leicester City in European competition.
Celtic must now regroup ahead of their next European test against Atalanta, another team known for its attacking style, and there are concerns that without a tactical adjustment, similar results may follow【412†source】【413†source】.
GET MORE NEWS ON SPORTWORDS.CO.UK
Leave a Reply