Champions League 2025 highlights: Harry Kane lifts Bayern to beat Celtic

The road to the Champions League Round of 16 has begun with intense clashes, heartbreaks, and controversy. Bayern Munich stands tall amid the chaos, while AC Milan, Atalanta, and Monaco face uphill battles after suffering first-leg defeats.

 

Bayern Battles Past Celtic in a Fiery Clash

 

Bayern Munich took a crucial step towards qualification with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Celtic in Glasgow. The Bavarians struck gold through Michael Olise and Harry Kane, securing a lead ahead of their return fixture in Munich next Tuesday.

 

Vincent Kompany’s men had to dig deep in a hostile Celtic Park, where defeats are rare, especially on European nights. “The (Celtic) fans haven’t seen many losses here, so we appreciate the importance of the game and the victory,” said Bayern’s head coach.

 

Bayern, along with Real Madrid and Manchester City, found themselves in the unexpected territory of the playoffs, despite their recent Champions League triumphs. Madrid edged out Manchester City 3-2 in a thrilling encounter the night before, further underlining the unpredictability of the new 36-team format. 

Milan’s Nightmare in Rotterdam

 

AC Milan’s Champions League dreams took a hit as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Feyenoord in rain-drenched Rotterdam. The match’s lone goal came in just the third minute when Igor Paixão’s strike slipped through the hands of French goalkeeper Mike Maignan, gifting the hosts a dream start.

 

Milan’s defensive frailties were laid bare as Feyenoord’s Brazilian winger gave new signing Kyle Walker a torrid evening in his first European outing for the seven-time champions.

 

For Feyenoord, the victory marked a new era under interim coach Pascal Bosschaart, who took charge after Brian Priske’s dismissal on Monday. The Dutch side now carries a slender advantage heading into the second leg at San Siro.

 

Pavlidis Shines as Benfica Downs Monaco

 

Benfica’s in-form forward, Vangelis Pavlidis, delivered yet again, scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory over Monaco. His sublime chip in the 48th minute stunned the home crowd before Monaco’s woes worsened with Al Musrati receiving a red card just minutes later.

 

Pavlidis, now on a scoring spree with six Champions League goals, including a hat-trick against Barcelona, is proving to be one of Europe’s deadliest strikers. However, Benfica’s joy was overshadowed by a fresh injury setback to Angel Di Maria, who limped off after just 20 minutes with a suspected hamstring strain.

 

This marks Benfica’s second win in Monaco this season, following a 3-2 triumph in the league phase.

 

Kane vs Schmeichel: A Rivalry Rekindled

 

Harry Kane continued his dominance over Kasper Schmeichel, netting his 19th career goal against the Danish shot-stopper. The England captain’s volley at the back post in the 49th minute left Schmeichel helpless once more.

 

Earlier, Michael Olise had given Bayern the lead with a stunning left-footed strike just before halftime, leaving Schmeichel grasping at thin air.

 

Despite the setback, Celtic found hope through Japan forward Daizen Maeda’s late strike, keeping their qualification hopes alive ahead of the second leg.

 

“At 2-1, Bayern are hanging on,” Celtic coach Brendan Rodgers declared. “Let’s go and have no regrets and see where it takes us.” 

Brugge’s Controversial Penalty Stuns Atalanta

 

A late penalty drama saw Club Brugge snatch a 2-1 victory over Atalanta in a match riddled with controversy. Deep into stoppage time, a seemingly innocuous clash between Swedish teammates Isak Hien and Gustaf Nilsson saw the referee point to the spot, much to Atalanta’s disbelief.

 

Turkish referee Umut Meler’s decision sparked outrage as Hien and two teammates were booked for dissent before Nilsson calmly dispatched the penalty, sending Rui Patricio the wrong way.

 

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini fumed at the call, saying, “We are now going in a direction outside of what football should be. But beyond the controversy, we now have to accept these rules that I no longer recognize.”

 

Earlier in the game, former Barcelona forward Ferran Jutglá had given Brugge the lead in the 15th minute before Atalanta’s Mario Pašalić equalized with a powerful header in the 41st.

 

The Race to the Round of 16 Heats Up

 

With the top eight teams already through to the next stage, the battle for the remaining eight spots is far from over. Teams placed between ninth and 24th in the standings are fighting for survival, with decisive second-leg clashes set to take place next week.

 

For Bayern Munich, the job is half done, but AC Milan, Atalanta, and Monaco must mount heroic comebacks to keep their Champions League aspirations alive. The drama is far from over.  (With agencies inputs)