Champions League campaign over, Europa League hopes hanging by a thread. Celtic continue to learn only harsh lessons against a higher standard of opponent than they ever encounter at home.
Nobody could reasonably claim Ange Postecoglou’s team were outplayed but the more ruthless team at each end of the pitch prevailed. As Celtic attacked far more in hope than expectation, the sense grew that Leipzig would show them how it is done.
Timo Werner, recently so maligned, struck the initial blow to those in green and white. The substitute Emil Forsberg added gloss to Leipzig’s win. Celtic were left to reflect upon a seventh home Champions League group‑stage defeat in a row.
“I want the players to get the rewards for their endeavours,” Postecoglou said. “I think we are close to becoming a very good team at this level. That process can’t be fast-tracked.”
Nobody attended this fixture thinking they would witness anything approaching the mundane. The clash last week in Germany, which Leipzig won 3-1, was chaotically open. The sense of a rollercoaster ride was endorsed within seconds of kick-off, as Daizen Maeda flicked Reo Hatate’s cross narrowly over the bar. Leipzig responded via Dominik Szoboszlai, who volleyed just wide.
Celtic’s desire to play on the front foot here was dictated partly by the fact they had precious little option. Oliver Abildgaard, a defensive midfielder signed for occasions such as these, was not deemed fit enough to start. Matt O’Riley and Hatate, who are both considerably more effective in the final third than the opening one, had to play as anchors. Leipzig spent the opening stages trying to expose Celtic’s forward-thinking instincts.
Instead, Celtic came the closer to an opening goal. O’Riley cracked a shot against a post from 20 yards, with Greg Taylor’s attempt from the rebound bouncing off the crossbar. As Kyogo Furuhashi headed narrowly over, Celtic Park believed this Champions League campaign had a pulse. These were, however, to prove costly moments of generosity. “Missed chances, it’s the story of our campaign so far,” Postecoglou said. “It’s the hardest part of the game. It’s about experience and composure at this level.”
Celtic – already minus the influential Jota and their captain, Callum McGregor, to injury – watched Liel Abada limp off before the interval. Leipzig almost rubbed salt in the wound; Joe Hart produced a fine save to deny the Chelsea-bound Christopher Nkunku.
Hart was called into action again within five minutes of the restart. After a spell in which Celtic failed time and again to clear their lines, the outstanding Amandou Haidara threaded a pass to Willi Orban. Hart smothered the centre-back’s low drive.
News that Shakhtar Donetsk had taken the lead against Real Madrid seemed to fuel the atmosphere. Three points, desirable before a ball was kicked against Leipzig, suddenly felt a necessity.
Szoboszlai almost piled on the agony. In a bizarre, slow motion moment after being sent through on goal he slipped on his backside and proceeded to hold his head as if injured. Celtic mopped up the danger as Szoboszlai clambered back to his feet with red face.
Postecoglou rolled the dice. Furuhashi and Hatate, ordinarily key players, were among three withdrawn. The arrival of Giorgos Giakoumakis suggested a more direct approach. This, at a time when Leipzig were beginning to tighten their grip on the game. Mohamed Simakan was next to endanger Hart’s goal, with a shot which flew high and wide of the goalkeeper’s upright.
Hart breathed a sigh of relief after VAR adjudged he had not upended Nkunku inside the penalty area. The forward’s pace in almost reaching nothing more than a hopeful pass was quite the sight but he was looking for the spot-kick long before tumbling to the turf.
The brief flurry of controversy soon paled into insignificance. Werner, who had been relatively quiet until that point, banged a header beyond Hart from an André Silva byline cut-back. It was a majestic goal.
O’Riley blasted a shot which stung the palms of Janis Blaswich. Giakoumakis fluffed his lines at the back post. Enter Forsberg, who made no mistake when concluding a sweeping counterattack. Werner had turned creator. Yet another moment of brilliance summed up the difference between two sides with differing aspirations.
