'I was loving every minute, another 30 would have been amazing'

Kasper Schmeichel made eight saves during the second leg of Celtic's play-off tie against Bayern Munich

With 90 minutes of normal time played in the second leg of Celtic's Champions League play-off tie against Bayern Munich, the Scottish champions were on course to take the Bundesliga leaders to extra time in their own backyard.

Brendan Rodgers' side led 1-0 on the night thanks to Nicolas Kuhn's second-half strike, and it could have been more.

Several first-half chances came and went as Celtic pressed and pestered Bayern all over the pitch.

Bayern looked rattled, unable to find the answers against a team they were heavy favourites to beat.

And yet, in the final minute of four added on, Alphonso Davies scrambled home from close range after Kasper Schmeichel had clawed away Leon Goretzka's header to send the German side through.

"Frustration, disappointment... I thought it was a heroic performance, very brave," Schmeichel said in the wake of such a crushing blow.

Heroic was the word for most, if not all performers in green, but Schmeichel especially.

The Denmark goalkeeper, a veteran of big games, made eight saves as Celtic repelled everything Bayern threw at them, until they didn't.

"Football is a cruel game sometimes, that's the emotion at the moment," he added. "I was loving every minute so another 30 would have been amazing."

Manager Brendan Rodgers was effusive in his praise for how his side went toe-to-toe with one of European football's most prestigious outfits.

"We were outstanding, played without any fear," the Northern Irishman said. "Defended so well, with discipline, pressed at the right moments, gave them issues on that side, and were able to be compact and tight in the right moment.

"It never looked like we were going to concede the goal that we did. I can only take immense pride from the performance - the guys gave everything."

'Celtic proved people wrong'

Just over four months ago, the talk around Celtic in European football was very different.

They were dismantled by Borussia Dortmund, beaten 7-1 on a wretched night, seemingly out of their depth at the top table.

And yet, they regrouped and came up with answers.

Wins against RB Leipzig and Young Boys followed, along with respectable draws against Atalanta, Club Brugge and Dinamo Zagreb, which all set up a showpiece tie against Bayern.

Bayern, who sit 26 points and 10 places above Dortmund in the Bundesliga.

Bayern, who Celtic deservedly led in Munich until the dying stages.

Despite the heartbreak, it was telling evidence of how far Celtic have progressed in four months.

"There's so much disappointment but when we take a step back and analyse the fact we're away to Bayern and are disappointed in drawing, I think that says a lot when you think of where we started," Schmeichel said.

Former Scotland forward James McFadden echoed those thoughts: "Celtic suffered out there and they proved people wrong," he said on Sportsound.

"People watching that will go 'Celtic are a really good side'. Everyone involved will be gutted at the minute because they will feel they could have won this tie.

"That tells you how far they have come."

Moving forward, Rodgers sees the foundations that will allow Celtic to compete with Europe's top teams once again next season.

Only Aston Villa beat them in the league phase after the drubbing in Dortmund and the Celtic boss insists his players will be better for their continental experiences.

"We learned some valuable lessons along the way, played some amazing football," he said.

"It allows us to build. We've made the progress that made me want to come back and now we have to finish the season off strong.

"My unswerving plan is to make it a seasoned club at this level, where we can go and really hurt big opponents like Bayern Munich."