Vincent Kompany knows a battle when he sees one. On Wednesday night, his Bayern Munich side escaped Glasgow with a 2-1 victory, but the Belgian was quick to point out the true force at play—Celtic Park itself.
The former Manchester City captain admitted afterwards that the atmosphere left its mark. “This place is hard to put into words,” Kompany told BBC Sport. “They have something unique, and that’s why we appreciate this win so much.”
For Celtic, it was proof again that Parkhead on a European night is unlike anything else.
Every tackle, every chase, every duel sparked roars that echoed like goals. Even when Bayern’s class shone through, Brendan Rodgers’ men never allowed themselves to shrink.
The crowd carried them, urging them forward right to the final whistle.
Daizen Maeda’s equalizer lit the stadium into chaos, Reo Hatate celebrating with him as if Celtic had turned the tide.
Greg Taylor’s crunching challenge on the halfway line drew a response just as fierce.
Kompany’s acknowledgment only adds to a long list of tributes from world-class opponents who have felt the ground shake beneath them in Glasgow’s East End.
Bayern may have edged the contest, but they left knowing they had been pushed to their limits.
The tie now shifts to Munich, where Rodgers’ men will need all the resilience and fire they showed at home.
They may be outsiders, but with the same belief, Celtic can still dream of something extraordinary.