The Champions League seems to have a knack for subjecting Celtic to these humiliating moments. It's hard to dismiss the idea that this giant of Scottish football simply can't thrive when taken out of its domestic comfort zone. Borussia Dortmund effortlessly controlled and taunted their visitors in a match that was effectively over long before the halftime whistle. The Germans have secured two wins from two in this new format, having faced minimal resistance over 180 minutes. They now harbor ambitions of matching last season's impressive tournament performance.
Suddenly, there's pressure on Celtic's upcoming trip to Atalanta. Their lackluster performance here has undermined the widespread belief that Celtic were better prepared for the Champions League than they have been in recent seasons. Their display was fragile and riddled with errors. European football's governing body, UEFA, was already in profit from this fixture before the match even began. A fine is inevitable after the teams emerged to giant banners in the Yellow Wall, branding UEFA as 'mafia.' The slogan read: 'You don't care about the sport, all you care about is money.' Pyrotechnics from the Celtic support will also trigger a sanction.
A chaotic start soon diverted attention from the events in the stands. Celtic did exactly what they were desperate to avoid by handing momentum to Dortmund, only to claw their way back into the game and concede a second goal that was as defensively weak as the hosts' first. There was a touch of fortune in Jamie Gittens winning a penalty from the despairing Kasper Schmeichel. Gittens won the ball from Celtic's captain, Callum McGregor, when breaking from midfield. Still, the Dortmund man should have been stopped long before Schmeichel had to upend him. Emre Can's reunion with Brendan Rodgers, his former manager at Liverpool, was a positive one for the midfielder as he sent Schmeichel the wrong way from 12 yards.
Celtic's response was both impressive and immediate. A superb cross from the right flank by Arne Engels left the Dortmund defense flat-footed. Daizen Maeda stole in to score - via his midriff - and trigger wild celebrations among the visiting fans. That joy was short-lived. A third goal in four minutes arrived from Karim Adeyemi, who beat Auston Trusty for pace before lashing a shot beyond Schmeichel with the help of a deflection from the same defender. During the first half, Dortmund repeatedly sliced through Celtic with astonishing ease. This was eerily reminiscent of past encounters against Europe's elite.
Adeyemi, who was pivotal to everything positive about Dortmund, scored his team's third. At this point, Celtic were struggling to stay in the fight. There was generosity in the play; the kind that typically goes unpunished in Scotland. Celtic only half cleared a corner, with Adeyemi picking up the loose ball. Schmeichel clearly wasn't expecting a shot, which flew past him at the near post from a tight angle. Celtic had conceded four goals all season before this fixture. Another penalty ensured the same tally inside 40 minutes. Engels carelessly kicked the foot of Adeyemi, leaving the referee no choice but to intervene. Adeyemi graciously passed on the opportunity for a hat-trick - he would have likely achieved it anyway - with Serhou Guirassy taking the penalty instead.
It was five goals by halftime. Adeyemi did indeed secure the hat-trick his performance deserved, with a low drive after Maeda carelessly lost possession. Dortmund had been ruthless. Celtic's goal difference from the 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava had been wiped out in one devastating half. A disheartened Adeyemi limped off three minutes after the restart. This felt like the biggest boost of Celtic's night. Rodgers used the interval to remove Greg Taylor and Paulo Bernardo, essentially scapegoats when any outfield player could have had no complaints about being replaced. Schmeichel turned Julien Duranville's shot around the post as Dortmund pursued their sixth goal. However, there was a noticeable drop in intensity from Nuri Sahin's team. The weekend clash with Union Berlin could be on the coach's mind.
The sixth goal did come. Alistair Johnston passed the ball straight to the opposition, leading to Guirassy facing down Liam Scales. Celtic's center-back was easily beaten before Guirassy wrong-footed Schmeichel. The record European defeat for Celtic, 7-0 in the Camp Nou in 2016, was now a possibility. Further comical defending brought Dortmund their seventh goal. This was, in fact, the third time a Rodgers-led Celtic team had conceded this many goals in Europe. How utterly frustrating. Trusty, having a difficult time, gave the ball away. Felix Nmecha returned it with interest. Schmeichel's acrobatics denied Duranville, with Dortmund's 14th attempt on target. This marked the end of Celtic's latest nightmare in Europe.
