Feb 13
Latest News
Marcus Littlejohn

Bayern Munich Survives Late Pressure to Secure Win at Celtic

Bayern Munich, under the guidance of head coach Vincent Kompany, secured a 2-1 victory over Celtic in their Champions League playoff first leg at Celtic Park.

The match saw Michael Olise open the scoring with a stunning strike just before halftime, followed by Harry Kane doubling the lead early in the second half with a volley from a Joshua Kimmich corner.

Despite Bayern controlling 70% possession in the first half, Celtic's disciplined defense kept them at bay until Olise's breakthrough.

Celtic's Nicolas Kühn had an early effort ruled offside, and Daizen Maeda later reduced the deficit with a close-range header in the 79th minute.

Celtic pressured Bayern in the final stages, but Bayern's defense, including a crucial late save from goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, preserved their lead.

Reflecting on the performance, Kompany stated, "Celtic pushed us to the limit in the final minutes, but our squad showed great composure under pressure. These are the moments that define top teams." 

Celtic, backed by a passionate home crowd, displayed determination and intensity as they fought to find an equalizer.

The Scottish club came close on multiple occasions, forcing Bayern's defense into crucial interventions.

Despite the loss, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers took positives from his team’s performance, saying, "I'm incredibly proud of the fight we showed. We went toe-to-toe with one of Europe's best, and on another night, we could have taken something from the game."

With this result, Bayern holds a narrow advantage heading into the second leg in Munich, while Celtic faces the challenge of overturning the deficit to keep their Champions League aspirations alive.

Jan 28
Latest News
Ben Betts

Arne Slot Provides Injury Update on Diogo Jota Copy

arne-slot-provides-injury-update-on-diogo-jota-copy

Liverpool fans are eagerly awaiting news regarding the extent of Diogo Jota's injury, which forced him to leave the pitch during the team’s 2-1 win against Chelsea.

In the first half, Jota was injured following a challenge from Tosin Adarabioyo near the halfway line. He was substituted after just 30 minutes, with Darwin Nunez stepping in for him.

Currently, Jota is undergoing assessments from Liverpool’s medical team, but coach Arne Slot is preparing for the possibility that he will miss the Champions League match against RB Leipzig on Wednesday.

Following the match, Slot remarked on Liverpool's website, "Diogo had to be substituted, and I am not sure what it is, but I’d be surprised if he is there on Wednesday.

"Should Jota be unavailable, Nunez is almost certain to start against Leipzig, despite his challenging start to the season under Slot, having only netted once so far.

If Jota ends up sidelined for a few weeks, it will place significant pressure on Darwin to find the net during a tough series of matches.

According to Physio Scout on X/Twitter, Jota is thought to have sustained a rib injury from the collision. Although he attempted to continue after an on-field evaluation, he ultimately could not.

The potential scenarios for Jota's injury include either a rib contusion (bruise) or a rib fracture.

Rib injuries typically involve pain management, with recovery from a contusion generally taking 1-2 weeks. However, scans are necessary to confirm the absence of a fracture, which would prolong the recovery time.

Rib injuries are known for being particularly painful, which may explain why Jota was unable to carry on playing. If it is confirmed as a rib contusion, he might return in a couple of weeks; conversely, a fracture could lead to a recovery period of 4-6 weeks.