Celtic suffered a humiliating 7-1 defeat at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday night, leaving Brendan Rodgers’ side thoroughly exposed by a ruthless Borussia Dortmund.
Goals from Emre Can, Karim Adeyemi, Serhou Guirassy, and Felix Nmecha sealed a memorable evening for the German hosts.
The defeat marked the fourth occasion that Rodgers has seen his team concede six or more goals in a UEFA Champions League match – a worrying statistic that has drawn criticism over his tactical approach to facing Europe’s elite clubs.
Many have questioned whether the Celtic boss is equipped to handle such high-level opposition, with suggestions that his set-up leaves the team vulnerable in key moments. Rodgers’ style has proven effective domestically, but in Europe, the cracks are often exposed.
Former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel added his voice to the debate surrounding Celtic’s tactics.
Speaking to The Scottish Sun, Schmeichel reflected on the match, saying:
“There’s always a debate. But that approach has been very successful for us this season. Sometimes you just come up against an opponent where everything goes their way.”
He continued: “I’ve been lucky enough to be at the other end of some of them as well. Sometimes it’s like everything the opposition hits goes in. They get the luck or the rub of the green to get this kind of result. It’s not one of those results that’s indicative of us as a team, though.”
Schmeichel was keen to remind fans that despite the heavy loss, Celtic’s domestic form has been impeccable.
“We’ve had a very good start to the season and have to remember that,” he said. “We just have to take it on the chin now. It’s not who we are, or what we have been.”
Celtic now turn their attention to Sunday’s trip to Ross County, aiming to extend their perfect Scottish Premiership start. The champions have won six from six, scoring 20 goals and conceding none, and will be eager to restore confidence after their European setback.