Bayern Munich may have secured their place in the Champions League last 16, but the reaction from the German media makes it clear that last night was anything but convincing.
Despite their lead in the Bundesliga and unbeaten run, pressure is building on the German side.
The renowned German outlet Bild did not hold back in its assessment of Bayern’s performance, describing their progression as a stumble into the last 16 in one headline while writing, “FC Bayern trembled their way into the Champions League round of 16 in the second leg at the Allianz Arena.”
Alphonso Davies’ last-minute equaliser was framed as a near-embarrassment escape, with Bild showing how close Celtic came to pulling off a seismic shock.
“Alphonso Davies (24) saves Bayern from a near-embarrassment against Celtic Glasgow and elimination with the 1-1 equaliser (90+4).”
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung also emphasised how Bayern only just scraped through, stating:
“Bayern barely make it to the round of 16.”
Their report noted that Celtic had Bayern rattled, particularly in the closing stages when Brendan Rodgers’ side defended heroically and looked set to take the tie to extra time.
Der Spiegel branded Bayern’s dramatic equaliser as fortunate, reinforcing the sentiment that they were let off the hook.
“So much for luck: the timing, the way it came about – there was a lot to support the oft-quoted interpretation of luck in relation to FC Bayern.”
Bayern’s performance raised more questions than answers for the German press, with the Bundesliga leaders exposing their own vulnerabilities rather than asserting dominance.
Celtic’s valiant effort in Munich was clearly acknowledged by the German media, who did not paint this as a routine progression for Bayern. The Bundesliga giants were expected to brush Celtic aside, but instead, they needed a stoppage-time equaliser to avoid extra time and potential humiliation.
Rodgers’ men may be out, but they’ve left a lasting impression across Europe—even in Germany, where few expected them to push Bayern this far.
