Celtic’s Mental Resilience to be Tested Against Dundee United
Celtic face a test of their mental strength as they prepare to host Dundee United on Saturday afternoon.
Just days after their hard-fought 2-1 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich, Brendan Rodgers’ side must shift focus back to domestic duties, aiming to extend their commanding 13-point lead at the top of the Premiership table.
Few expect anything other than a dominant display from Celtic, with the game likely to be one-sided as they control possession and dictate play—something that didn’t quite materialize against Bayern.
That was understandable given the quality of the opposition, with the Bundesliga leaders considered strong contenders for the Champions League title. However, former Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov wasn’t entirely pleased with what he witnessed.
Stiliyan Petrov Found Celtic’s Approach ‘Uncomfortable’ Against Bayern
As expected, the Parkhead crowd was in full voice before kick-off, with You’ll Never Walk Alone echoing around the stadium. But according to Petrov, the atmosphere felt flat for large parts of the game, something unusual for a European night in Glasgow.
Speaking on The Warm Up, Petrov pointed to Celtic’s defensive approach as the main reason, admitting he felt uneasy watching his former club sit so deep.
“My concern against Bayern Munich was the approach,” he said. “Celtic started defending, and they just dropped deeper and deeper. That’s not how Celtic usually play.”
Despite that, Rodgers’ side has made significant progress since their struggles against Borussia Dortmund in past European campaigns. Once Celtic found their rhythm, Daizen Maeda’s goal seemed to unsettle Bayern, who were eager for the final whistle.
Although it took until the second half for Celtic to grow into the game, they still managed to produce a higher expected goals (xG) tally than their German counterparts. Additionally, with 140 forward passes compared to Bayern’s 167, the gap wasn’t as wide as some critics suggested regarding Rodgers’
tactical approach.
