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Champions League: Rejuvenated Bayern put Celtic to the sword

October 18, 2017

Jupp Heynckes became the oldest coach in Champions League history as Bayern eased to victory against Celtic. Goals from Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich and Mats Hummels saw the Germans return to winning ways in Europe.

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Fußball Champions League FC Bayern München - Celtic Glasgow
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Hassenstein

Bayern Munich 3-0 Celtic
(Müller 17', Kimmich 29', Hummels 51')

Thomas Müller became the first German player to score in 10 different Champions League seasons as Bayern got their European campaign back on track with a routine win over Celtic.

The last time Jupp Heynckes, 72, managed Bayern in the Champions League they completed a historic treble at Wembley in 2013. A mere 1,608 days later, his task was simply to get them back to winning ways after a humbling in Paris that did for his predecessor Carlo Ancelotti.

Heynckes’ side flew out of the blocks against a timid Celtic outfit who have only three points on the board and already appear destined to drop into the Europa League. Bayern should have been ahead within six minutes when Thiago Alcantara’s goal was wrongly disallowed – but it didn’t take long for the Germans to break the deadlock.

Müller slammed the ball into the roof of the net after Craig Gordon parried Robert Lewandowski’s header straight to the German, who snaffled up the chance to notch his landmark goal.

Bayern were two to the good before the break as Joschua Kimmich continued his fine run of form with the goal, angling a looping header past Gordon after good work on the wing by Kingsley Coman.

Defender Mats Hummels completed the scoring early in the second half with another header, this time taking advantage of slack Celtic defending to nod into the bottom corner.

The Scottish league leaders improved after the break and both teams had goals disallowed in the second half, but the result had long since been decided.

Tougher tasks lay ahead for Bayern – including a trip to RB Leipzig in the German Cup next week – but the early signs are good for a side looking to prove that they still warrant their place among Europe’s elite.

Will Bayern do it again?

 

As it happened:

FULL TIME: That's it. As comfortable as it gets for Bayern, despite a late Celtic flurry. Kingsley Coman and Joshua Kimmich were particularly impressive as a Bayern Champions League match finishes 3-0 for the third time in a row, two of them in their favor. The match report will be along here shortly. In the meantime, the rest of th night's results are below.

90+2 -- Müller manages to hit Gordon's chest from point blank range with header. Doesn't matter a great deal but he does love a close range goal. At the other end, Sinclair almost jinks his way to the consolation Celtic have come so close to.

90+1 -- Lustig hits the post for Celtic with a header. Cruel on the Scottish side, who have shown a lot more in the second half. 

88' -- Vidal lets a long pass drop over his shoulder but vooley straight at the keeper. A tough skill but he was ummarked.

86' -- Sinclair has the ball in the net for Celtic but it's ruled out for offside. Replays show he was very marginally off when he received Dembele's blocked shot.

82' -- Substitute Forrest gallops down the right and blasts one at Ulreich. He may have been better off looking for a cross there.

80' -- Bayern's last sub. Rafinha on for Kimmich, who has again had an excellent game.

77' -- Coman trots off for Bayern. He's been excellent tonight. James on in his place. Hummels nods just wide from a corner. 

73' -- Robben is denied a goal on his 100th Champions League appearance by a smart save Gordon then Sinclair and N'tcham are blocked at the other end. 

70' -- Tierney hammers one with his left peg from 30 yards and it flies past the upright. Probably the closest they've come. Meanwhile, Bayern have introduced Vidal in place of Thiago.

64' -- Double substitution for Celtic. Dembele and Rogic on for Armstrong and Griffiths.

62' -- Lewandowksi turns in Alaba's cross from the left but is rightly flagged offside.

60' -- Sinclair almost through on the right but forced to turn. He eventually finds N'tcham on the edge of the box but he balloons it.

57' -- Kimmich breaks down the right, after Robben allowed him to take over. His cross is deflected out for a corner but it's cleared.

53' -- Tierney wriggles through on the left and has a stab with his right straight at Ullreich. That's Celtic's first shot on target.

51' -- Gordon gives the ball straight to Bayern. Thiago feeds Robben but his left foot drive is deflected out for a corner. But from the corner, Hummels heads in, simple as you like. Game over.

47' -- Strong start from Celtic. Sinclair breaks down the left before the ball finds its way to Roberts on the right but his curled effort sails over.

46' -- We're back underway at the Allianz Arena.

HALF TIME: So far, so simple for Bayern. Celtic have had a couple of half-moments on the break but Ulreich hasn't broken a sweat in Bayer's goal. It's hard to see a way back for the visitors here. For Bayern Kimmich, and particularly Coman, have shone - good news for a team so often accused of relying on their more experienced campaigners.

43' -- Coman, who has been the best player on the pitch tonight, dances down the left again and forces a hurried clearance. Gamboa cannot cope at right back.

38' -- Robben almost gets the third after a beautiful backheeled return pass from Lewandowski but a defender got in the way. 

34' -- Müller is punished for leaning on a defender as a cross comes in. But he has got himself a little piece of Champions League history tonight.

29' -- It's two! Kimmich floats in a beautifully-judged looping header over Gordon after Coman dug out a ball from the byline. Lewandowski then tests Gordon almost immediately after. It's looking ominous for the visitors.

24' -- Coman moves to the center and peels off a shot from range but it's straight at Gordon.

22' -- Lewandowski peels off his marker from a corner. The ball is delivered on the ground to the edge of the box but the normally-lethal front man slams it high over the bar.

17' -- Yep, it was a matter of time. Bayern take the lead through Müller. Kimiich found Lewandowski in acres of space, his header was brilliantly saved and Müller hammered it home from close range.

16' -- Roberts drives half the length of the pitch for Celtic but his shot is blocked. Celtic have had a couple of moments on the break.

14' --  A brilliant switch of feet sees Coman fly past Gamboa but Alaba blazes the cutback over. Bayern are pinning Celtic back here, feels a matter of time.

12' -- A swift break from Celtic almost sees Griffiths get a shot away before the ball falls to Sinclair, who can't get in under his spell. Then Kimmich fires wide at the other end.

10' -- Kimmich getting some joy down the right, first forcing Scott Brown to lump away and then nearly finding Lewandowski with a cross.

6' -- Thiago has the ball in the net but it's disallowed. Lewandowski ran on to a through ball and pulled it back to the Spaniard but the referee adjudged the Polish striker had run it out of play. That looked harsh.

3' -- Celtic's turn for a corner now and Bayern clear their lines equally effectively.

1' -- And we're off. Alaba flies down the left and wins a corner but Celtic clear.

20:40 The music is playing, the flags are waving, the players are standing sullenly in a line. We're almost off.

20:25 Arjen Robben makes his 100th Champions League appearance tonight, with 60 of those coming in a Bayern shirt. He also played for Real Madrid, Chelsea and PSV in the competition. Here is how his appearances rank among his Dutch compatriots.

20:10 And the Celtic XI...

20:05 Here's how Bayern line up in their first Champions League game since Jupp Heynckes returned to the helm.

20:00 Welcome to another night of Champions League action. The teams are in...