Champions League: 'I was loving every minute, another 30 would have been amazing', says Celtic's Schmeichel

In the second leg of the Champions League play-off between Celtic and Bayern Munich, with the regular time winding down to 90 minutes, Scottish champions Celtic had a chance to push Bundesliga leaders Bayern into extra time. Thanks to Nicolas Kühn's second-half goal, Celtic were leading 1-0 at the time and could have extended their lead even further.

In the first half, Celtic created numerous opportunities and put pressure on Bayern across the entire pitch. Bayern looked somewhat flustered and unable to find a solution, despite being considered the overwhelming favorites for the match. However, in the final minute of four minutes of added time, Alphonso Davies scored a rebound from close range after Kasper Schmeichel had saved Leon Goretzka's header, ultimately sending Bayern through.

"Frustration, disappointment... I thought it was a heroic performance, very brave," Schmeichel said after the match. A heroic performance was the general sentiment toward Celtic's players, especially Schmeichel. The experienced Danish goalkeeper made eight saves, and Celtic almost kept Bayern at bay until the very last moment. He added: "Football is a cruel sport sometimes, and that's how it feels right now. I enjoyed every minute of it, and it would have been amazing to play another 30 minutes."

Head coach Brendan Rodgers lauded his team's performance against one of the most prestigious teams in European football. "I thought we were outstanding, played with no fear," the Northern Irishman said. "Defensively we were brilliant, disciplined, pressed at the right times, caused them problems and were able to stay compact and tight at the right moments. It looked like we weren't going to concede, but I can only be immensely proud of the players – they gave everything."

Just over four months ago, the perception of Celtic in European football was drastically different. They were dismantled by Dortmund, suffering a heavy 1-7 defeat on a dismal night, and seemed out of their depth on the top stage. However, they regrouped and found a way to respond. Subsequently, they defeated RB Leipzig and Young Boys, and drew with Atalanta, Club Brugge, and Dinamo Zagreb, setting the stage for the showdown with Bayern. Bayern lead Dortmund by 26 points in the Bundesliga standings, sitting 10 places higher. Celtic should have been ahead of Bayern in Munich until the final stages of the game. Despite the heartbreaking ending, it was a powerful testament to how far Celtic have come in four months.

"There's a lot of disappointment, but when we take a step back and analyse the fact that we're away to Bayern and disappointed with a draw, I think that says a lot, when you think about where we started," Schmeichel said. Former Scotland forward James McFadden echoed the sentiment: "Celtic went there and stood up to be counted, they proved people wrong," he said on Sportsound. "People watching that game will be saying 'Celtic are a very good team'. Everyone involved will be so gutted because they'll feel they could have won that game. That tells you how far they've come."

Looking ahead, Rodgers sees the foundation for Celtic to compete with Europe's top teams again next season. With only Aston Villa defeating them in the league stage after the Dortmund debacle, the Celtic boss insists his players will benefit from their continental experience. "We've learned some invaluable lessons along the way, played some great football," he said. "It allows us to keep progressing. We've made progress that makes me want to come back, and now we have to finish the season strongly. My unwavering plan is to make this club a regular at this level, where we can really hurt big opponents like Bayern Munich."