Bayern secure Round of 16 spot with dramatic last-minute equalizer against Celtic

Bayern secure Round of 16 spot with dramatic last-minute equalizer against Celtic

They will face either Bayer Leverkusen, another Bundesliga team, or Atletico Madrid, depending on the outcome of Friday's draw.

Davies scored in stoppage time after Celtic's Nicolas Kuehn, a former Bayern player, had shocked the hosts by putting his side ahead in the 63rd minute. Celtic was aiming to overturn a first-leg deficit and secure their first-ever win in Germany, having not won in 16 attempts.

Having lost the first leg 2-1 in Glasgow, Celtic came close to forcing extra time with a valiant display that kept Bayern on the back foot for much of the match.

Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka commented, "If you watched the first leg, it wasn't unexpected. Of course, we could have made things easier by avoiding that goal." He added, "We've played three matches in six days, and it was all about getting results, which we did, and we're pleased with that," after Bayern earned a 0-0 draw against the German champions Leverkusen on Saturday.

Celtic made Bayern nervous from the outset, with Kuehn's shot cleared off the line by Raphael Guerreiro in the 16th minute, and Daizen Maeda narrowly missing a chance to connect with an Arne Engels cross shortly afterward.

Bayern had to wait until the final moments of the first half for a chance, with striker Harry Kane hitting the crossbar with a shot. Kane, who had little influence otherwise and was nursing a head injury from the Leverkusen game, was substituted at halftime.

Bayern came close to scoring again immediately after the break when Goretzka failed to beat goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in a one-on-one situation.

However, it was Celtic who took the lead, with Kuehn capitalizing on two defensive mistakes to give Brendan Rodgers' side a well-earned advantage.

Bayern responded with increased pressure, with Goretzka and Leroy Sane coming close before Schmeichel made another outstanding save to deny Joshua Kimmich.

The Danish goalkeeper managed to keep Goretzka's close-range effort out in stoppage time but couldn't prevent Davies from scoring on the rebound, sending Bayern through to the next round.

The equalizer left Celtic's players and coach heartbroken. Rodgers reflected, "It was such a cruel way to go out—not even losing the game, but being eliminated from the competition. It was a heroic effort, just unfortunate at the end."

He added, "I think we've restored our European credibility this season, building on what we achieved last year, and that's my takeaway from this campaign."

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