Celtic’s unbeaten start to the season came to a crashing halt in the Champions League as they were taught a footballing lesson by Borussia Dortmund in a 7-1 thrashing in Germany. The Scottish champions, who had begun their season with nine consecutive victories, were overwhelmed by a rampant Dortmund side inspired by the electric pace and clinical finishing of Karim Adeyemi, who netted a stunning hat-trick. For Celtic, it was a humbling experience, as defensive frailties and unforced errors left them chasing shadows throughout the contest.
The tone of the game was set early when Dortmund took the lead within minutes of the kickoff. Jamie Gittens, using his blistering speed, sliced through Celtic’s defense and was brought down by Kasper Schmeichel, leading to a penalty. Emre Can stepped up and confidently converted from the spot, putting the hosts ahead and giving them the early momentum. Celtic, however, quickly found a response. Arne Engels whipped in a precise cross from the right, which Daizen Maeda finished from close range to equalize, bringing the score to 1-1.
At that moment, Celtic seemed to have regained their composure, but their reprieve was short-lived. Just minutes later, Dortmund’s attacking pressure proved too much for Celtic’s backline. Adeyemi, a constant threat with his speed and direct running, latched onto a ball and drove towards goal, his shot taking a deflection off Celtic defender Auston Trusty and flying past a helpless Schmeichel to restore Dortmund’s lead. From that point on, Celtic struggled to contain Dortmund’s relentless pace and creativity.
Adeyemi’s second goal of the night came from a piece of individual brilliance. Positioned on the edge of the box, the German international unleashed a powerful strike that soared into the top corner, leaving Schmeichel with no chance and putting Dortmund firmly in control at 3-1. Celtic’s defense, already stretched, began to show signs of disarray, and things went from bad to worse when Engels fouled Adeyemi in the box, leading to another penalty. This time, it was Serhou Guirassy who stepped up and converted the spot-kick, making it 4-1 in favor of Dortmund.
The home crowd, known as the “Yellow Wall,” was in full voice as Dortmund continued to dominate. Adeyemi completed his hat-trick before the first half came to an end, firing another long-range effort into the net to extend Dortmund’s lead to 5-1. Celtic were completely shell-shocked, struggling to cope with the pace and intensity of their opponents. The halftime whistle came as a relief for Brendan Rodgers’ side, but the damage had already been done.
In the second half, Celtic managed to stabilize the game for the first 20 minutes, preventing Dortmund from adding to their tally. However, another mistake in their defense opened the door for Guirassy to score his second of the night. Alistair Johnson’s error allowed the Dortmund forward to pounce, burying the ball in the back of the net to make it 6-1. By this point, Celtic were simply trying to limit the damage, but they continued to make costly mistakes.
A moment of further embarrassment came late in the match when Celtic substitute Adam Idah missed a golden opportunity to score. Faced with an open net, Idah failed to convert, and within moments, Dortmund struck again at the other end. Felix Nmecha rounded off the scoring with Dortmund’s seventh goal, capping a miserable night for Celtic.
For Celtic, this defeat will rank among the most painful in their European history. Despite coming into the match on a high, having won their first nine games of the season, including a 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava in their opening Champions League match, they were thoroughly outclassed by Dortmund. The result was a stark reminder of the gap that still exists between Celtic and Europe’s elite clubs. While they have made strides in domestic competitions, their struggles in Europe, particularly away from home, have been a recurring theme.
Celtic have now failed to win in 14 attempts on German soil in the Champions League, and their record of European drubbings continues to grow. Over the years, the Scottish side has suffered heavy defeats at the hands of powerhouses such as Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain. Despite hopes that this season would be different, with a more solid defense and a potent attack, they were left exposed and vulnerable against Dortmund’s speed and precision.
The absence of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Celtic’s defensive stalwart, was keenly felt. Without him, the backline struggled to cope with Dortmund’s relentless attacking waves. The likes of Liam Scales and Kasper Schmeichel made several last-ditch interventions, but it was not enough to prevent the flood of goals. Had it not been for Schmeichel’s saves and some desperate defending, Celtic’s record European defeat of 7-0 could easily have been surpassed.
Brendan Rodgers will undoubtedly be disappointed with his team’s performance, particularly the unforced errors that compounded their difficulties. While Dortmund were clearly the superior side, Rodgers will be frustrated at how easily his players gifted their opponents opportunities through mistakes and lapses in concentration. In such high-level competition, those errors are unforgivable and can quickly turn a contest into a rout, as was the case here.
Looking ahead, Celtic face a tough road in the remainder of their Champions League campaign. Their next match sees them travel to Italy to face Atalanta, and they will need to improve significantly if they hope to keep their European hopes alive. Defensively, they must tighten up and avoid the kind of errors that Dortmund ruthlessly exploited, while also finding a way to harness the attacking potency that has served them so well in domestic competitions.
On the other side, Borussia Dortmund will take great confidence from this resounding victory. Despite losing several key players from last season, including Jadon Sancho, Mats Hummels, and Niclas Fullkrug, Dortmund showed that they still possess the firepower and quality to go deep in the tournament. Adeyemi, in particular, was sensational, terrorizing the Celtic defense with his pace and finishing ability. Alongside him, Gittens and Julian Brandt provided creativity and guile, with Brandt orchestrating the play from midfield and picking apart Celtic’s disorganized defense.
Dortmund’s mix of youth, pace, and experience makes them a formidable team, and they will undoubtedly be looking to challenge for honors again this season. Their upcoming match against Real Madrid, a rematch of last season’s final, will be a stern test, but if they can replicate the form they showed against Celtic, they will be a dangerous proposition for any opponent.
For now, Dortmund can savor their victory, while Celtic must regroup and focus on finding solutions to the problems that were so brutally exposed. In the world of elite European football, there is little time for reflection, and Celtic will need to bounce back quickly if they are to salvage their Champions League campaign. The defeat in Dortmund was a harsh lesson, but one that could serve as a catalyst for improvement if Rodgers and his players can learn from their mistakes and respond in the right way.
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