Celtic starting XI vs Bayern Munich: 4 changes from Dundee Utd win as key defender dropped + change in attack

Brendan Rodgers has named his Celtic starting XI and substitutes to face Bayern Munich in their must-win UEFA Champions League play-off second leg against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

The Hoops are facing an uphill battle to progress to the round of 16 of Europe’s premier competition after falling to a 2-1 home defeat in last week’s first leg. They will, however, take confidence from their second half display in which they applied some late pressure on the Bundesliga giants.

The Germans have looked somewhat weaker offensively in their past two games, having drawn a blank against Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend, but Vincent Kompany’s side boast a terrific home record and will be considered strong favourites to complete the job.

Rodgers has made FOUR changes from the 3-0 Scottish Premiership win over Dundee United at the weekend as part of an attacking line-up. Anthony Ralston, Luke McCowan, Yang Hyun-jun and Adam Idah all drop to the bench, with Alistair Johnston, Arne Engels, Nicolas Kuhn and Daizen Maeda all drafted into the side.

Maeda will play through the middle as the central striker, with Jeffrey Schlupp keeping his place at left-back in favour of regular starter Greg Taylor. There’s a place among the substitutes for 19-year-old academy prospect Jude Bonnar.

What has goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel said?

“I think it would be a massive achievement for sure, if you were able to put Bayern out of the Champions League, that would certainly be up there. It's going to be difficult, but like you said, I have been a part of teams that have done things against the odds, so why not?"

“What has to go right? Pretty much everything. You have to leave everything out there. You're coming up against one of the best teams in the world, but that's not to say that it's not just 11 v 11. We go out there with confidence, with hope. We're in the tie. We're not here just to make up room, but we're here to try and win. We're here to try and go through.

“It's just a game of football and anything can happen in those 90-plus minutes. The most important thing is just to have belief. We're a good football team as well, don't forget that. That's probably the message that we're trying to reinforce, is to remember that we're a really good football team ourselves.”

Here's your confirmed starting line ups ahead of this evening’s encounter in Bavaria...

Bayern Munich starting XI: (4-2-3-1)

Manuel Neuer; Dayot Upamecano, Kim Min-Jae, Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry, Leon Goretzka, Harry Kane (C), Michael Olise, Raphael Guerreiro, Jamal Musiala, Josip Stanisic.

SUBS: Jonas Urbig (GK), Leroy Sane, Kingsley Coman, Eric Dier, Joel Palhinha, Alphonso Davies, Hiroki Ito, Sacha Boey, Gabriel Vidovic, Thomas Muller, Konrad Laimer, Alexander Pavlovic.

Celtic starting XI: (4-3-3)

Kasper Schmeichel, Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Jeffrey Schlupp; Callum McGregor (C), Arne Engels, Reo Hatate; Nicolas Kuhn, Jota, Daizen Maeda.

SUBS: Viljami Sinisalo (GK), Scott Bain (GK), Greg Taylor, Liam Scales, Adam Idah, Yang Hyun-jun, Luke McCowan, Maik Nawrocki, Johnny Kenny, Dane Murray, Anthony Ralston, Jude Bonnar.