Celtic players give a nod to the fans after the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League MD6 match between Borussia Dortmund and Celtic FC at BVB Stadion Dortmund on October 1, 2024 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon refused to blame Brendan Rodgers for last night’s 7-1 Champions League defeat at the iconic Westfalenstadion against Borussia Dortmund…
Instead, Lennon points the finger at the Celtic players who played right into Dortmund’s hands and made it a much easier night than last season’s beaten Champions League finalists had anticipated.
I expected them to give a good account of themselves
“I didn’t expect them to win,” Lennon told TNT Sports. “I expected them to give a good account of themselves given the way they were.
“They let the game get away from them. They were passive, too passive with passing, they didn’t do the dirty business of the game well enough, they weren’t physical enough, too nice and they didn’t turn Dortmund around.
“They kept playing the same way. The results were the same: goal against, goal against, goal against. Finally, when the game got to 3-1, I’m waiting for someone to take the team and say “ok, let’s have 5-10 minutes on your side”. let’s put Maeda in itlet’s turn them over, take a corner or a throw-in’ – there was none of that.
Celtic played right into their hands
“They continued to play in the same way – passing into dangerous areas and they were used. Dortmund are an excellent team, but they have their flaws, especially on the right side, but Celtic played into their hands constantly .
“They have to learn quickly. Celtic were exposed tonight. They have to say, ‘We can’t do this away from home against top teams, we have to find another way to play sometimes.’
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“You can’t keep blaming the manager,” Lennon said. “Celtic have a senior manager Brendan Rodgers. Yes, he wants his team to play football. He said before the game that they would suffer at times, and they were suffering.
In the end, they were small passes
“What you do when you’re suffering is you get away from the heat, you can put your wide men in the game and use the pace that Kuhn and Maeda have; he didn’t use it enough. In the end, it was small passes for the midfield.”
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