Top fans criticised Dortmund victory over Celtic as”Champions League nightmare for Celtic”
Celtic were taught a lesson by Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League as their winning run was halted in spectacular fashion with a 7-1 defeat.
There was cautious optimism for the Hoops after starting the season with nine straight victories in all competitions, but they could not cope with the threat of the Bundesliga side as simple mistakes proved costly.
Last season’s runners-up had not lost in 12 Champions League games at home and took an early lead. Captain Emre Can converted from the penalty spot after Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel had brought down Jamie Gittens.
Daizen Maeda hit back almost instantly, but Karim Adeyemi netted a double with Serhou Guirassy making it four from the penalty spot after Arne Engels caught Adeyemi in the box.
The winger wrapped up his hat-trick before the break with Guirassy firing in his second and Dortmund’s sixth in the second half. Felix Nmecha came off the bench to add to the Scottish champions’ woes with a seventh.
Celtic’s heaviest European defeat remains a 7-0 loss in Barcelona during Rodgers’ first spell in charge and he also suffered a 7-1 reverse against Paris Saint-Germain and a 6-0 loss to Atletico Madrid.
The warning signs were evident from early on when Adeyemi had numerous options but could not find a pass or shot, before Can provided the opener in the seventh minute after Schmeichel felled Gittens when the winger had burst beyond Celtic’s back four.
The visitors were level inside two minutes when Maeda bundled home Engels’ cross but Dortmund regained the lead in the same timescale. Guirassy’s flick to the unmarked Julian Brandt left the Celtic back line vulnerable and Adeyemi ran on to the through ball and fired high into the net off the foot of Auston Trusty.
They continued to give the ball away and the chances kept coming. Adeyemi came close from 25 yards after Paulo Bernardo’s loose pass and Schmeichel saved from Pascal Gross before another wave of goals.
Engels caught Adeyemi on the foot as the pair contested a bouncing ball and Guirassy did the damage from the 40th-minute penalty. Celtic shot themselves in the foot again two minutes later when Maeda overran the ball on the edge of his box and Adeyemi supplied another lethal finish.
Rodgers made a double substitution at the interval, putting Reo Hatate on for Bernardo and Alex Valle for Greg Taylor, who had been struggling with a calf issue.
Celtic were spared more punishment from Adeyemi when the 22-year-old Germany international was forced off by an injury just after the restart.
But the pattern of the game did not change and Schmeichel made saves from 18-year-old substitute Julien Duranville and Julian Ryerson.
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