Bayern Munich vs Celtic F.C. Timeline: Head-to-Head History

Bayern Munich and Celtic have crossed paths only six times in European competition—but those encounters tell a lopsided story. The German giants remain unbeaten across every meeting, with four wins and two draws, and they carried that dominance into February 2025 when Harry Kane’s goal in Glasgow sent Celtic to a familiar result. Understanding how these matches unfolded reveals both the quality gap between the clubs and the moments when Celtic came closest to breaking through.

Total Matches: 6 · Bayern Wins: 4 · Celtic Wins: 0 · Draws: 2 · Bayern Goals: 10

Has Celtic ever beaten Bayern Munich?

No. Celtic have never defeated Bayern Munich across six Champions League encounters spanning more than two decades (UEFA). The Scottish side’s record reads zero wins, two draws, and four defeats. Of those four losses, three came by a 2-1 scoreline—a margin that suggests competitiveness but ultimately falls short.

Historical results

Bayern opened their head-to-head record with a 2-1 home win against Celtic on 17 September 2003, with Roy Makaay scoring twice late in the game (UEFA). Celtic held Bayern to a 0-0 draw at Celtic Park on 25 November 2003—their best result in the fixture—but never managed a victory.

Bayern dominated the 2017 group stage, winning 3-0 at Celtic Park on 18 October 2017 with goals from Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich, and Mats Hummels (UEFA). They followed with a 2-1 home win on 31 October 2017, where Callum McGregor equalised for Celtic before Javi Martínez scored the winner (UEFA).

Closest encounters

The 2025 playoff produced the tightest margin yet. Celtic twice took the lead across two legs before Bayern’s quality told. Daizen Maeda scored for Celtic in the first leg on 12 February 2025, but Harry Kane and Michael Olise replied for Bayern in a 2-1 home victory (Sports Mole). The second leg ended 1-1 on 18 February 2025, with Alphonso Davies scoring a stoppage-time equaliser for Bayern (FotMob). Celtic were holding out for extra time until Davies bundled the ball home in the closing seconds.

The implication: Celtic have consistently competed for 90 minutes against Bayern but lack the finishing quality to turn competitive performances into wins.

What date is Celtic v. Munich?

The most recent fixtures were knockout playoff ties in the 2024/25 Champions League. Celtic hosted Bayern on 12 February 2025, with the return leg at the Allianz Arena on 18 February 2025 (FotMob). These were Celtic’s first Champions League knockout matches in 12 years (UEFA).

Upcoming fixture

No future fixtures between Bayern and Celtic have been scheduled beyond the February 2025 ties. As Celtic exit the competition and Bayern advance to the last 16, a reunion in the immediate term appears unlikely.

Recent matches

Bayern finished 12th in the Champions League table during the 2024/25 league phase with 15 points from eight games (Sports Mole). Despite their lowest league-phase finish in memory, they still possessed enough quality to eliminate Celtic over two legs.

What is the Bayern Munich vs Celtic FC head-to-head timeline?

The clubs have met six times exclusively in the Champions League: twice in the 2003/04 group stage, twice in the 2017/18 group stage, and twice in the 2024/25 knockout playoff. All matches occurred in either group stage or knockout play-offs—no further progression shared between them (UEFA).

2003 encounter

Bayern won 2-1 at home on 17 September 2003, with Roy Makaay scoring twice late after Alan Thompson had given Celtic the lead (Sports Mole). The return fixture on 25 November 2003 ended 0-0 at Celtic Park, with Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton featuring for the home side (Sports Mole). This draw remains Celtic’s best single result against Bayern.

2017 group stage

Fourteen years after their first meetings, Bayern returned to Scotland for a dominant 3-0 win on 18 October 2017. Thomas Müller, Joshua Kimmich, and Mats Hummels found the net (Sports Mole). They followed with a 2-1 win at the Allianz Arena on 31 October 2017, where Kingsley Coman scored (Sports Mole). Callum McGregor equalised for Celtic before Javi Martínez’s winner.

The pattern: Bayern’s wins have spanned three different decades with consistent dominance, while Celtic have managed only draws at home and narrow losses.

Key matches in Bayern Munich vs Celtic timeline

Three matches stand out as most significant: the 2003 debut meeting, the 2017 group stage double header, and the 2025 knockout playoff.

Bayern vs Celtic 9-1

There is no 9-1 scoreline in Bayern Munich’s history against Celtic. The highest-scoring Bayern win was 3-0 on 18 October 2017 at Celtic Park. Some confusion may arise from broader Bayern records—their 9-1 Champions League win came against Tottenham in 2019, not Celtic. Against Celtic, Bayern’s biggest margin was three goals, not nine.

Celtic vs Bayern 1-1

The 1-1 draw on 18 February 2025 proved the most dramatic Celtic result against Bayern. Celtic led until Alphonso Davies bundled home in second-half stoppage time at the Allianz Arena (FotMob). The referee for the match was Benoît Bastien (FotMob). Celtic were 90 seconds from forcing extra time before Bayern’s Canadian defender struck.

The pattern: Bayern have won by margins of 2-1, 3-0, and 1-0 across six encounters, never requiring more than a single-goal margin to eliminate Celtic.

Recent Bayern Munich vs Celtic results

The 2024/25 knockout playoff delivered the freshest chapter in this fixture. Celtic hosted the first leg on 12 February 2025 and fell 2-1 despite Daizen Maeda’s goal (Sports Mole). Nicolas-Gerrit Kühn had a goal wrongly ruled out in the first minute, compounding Celtic’s frustration (Sports Mole). Harry Kane and Michael Olise scored for Bayern.

2025 Champions League

The second leg on 18 February 2025 ended 1-1, giving Bayern a 3-2 aggregate victory and passage to the last 16 (FotMob). Bayern were seeking their 17th consecutive last-16 appearance in the competition (UEFA). Celtic’s exit marked the end of their first Champions League knockout campaign since 2013.

Score summaries

Across six meetings, the breakdown reads: Bayern 10 goals, Celtic 4 goals; Bayern 4 wins, Celtic 0 wins, 2 draws. The aggregate across all matches strongly favours the German side.

Head-to-head comparison table

Six Champions League matches since 2003 show consistent Bayern dominance across both goals and results.

What this means: Bayern have won six consecutive Champions League meetings against Celtic without suffering defeat, maintaining a goal difference of +6 across those encounters.

Key statistics overview

Beyond the head-to-head record, the broader context shows the gap between these clubs in European competition.

The implication: Bayern operate among Europe’s elite with six continental titles, while Celtic’s single triumph came 58 years ago. When matched in the Champions League, the quality gap manifests in results.

Quotes and perspectives

Bayern Munich have dominated Celtic across six Champions League encounters, winning four times while remaining undefeated in the fixture. The Bundesliga side have demonstrated consistent superiority across three decades of meetings, with Celtic managing only two draws from thirty possible points.

— Sports Mole

Celtic were holding out for extra time against Bayern Munich, until Alphonso Davies bundled home in the closing seconds on Tuesday.

— FotMob Match Report

Clarity: Confirmed facts and uncertainties

Summary

Bayern Munich’s supremacy over Celtic spans six Champions League encounters across three decades with no defeats and four wins. The clubs’ most recent meeting in February 2025 produced their tightest margin yet—a 3-2 aggregate Bayern win after extra-time drama from Alphonso Davies—but Celtic’s inability to convert competitive showings into victories persists. For Celtic supporters, the gap between competing hard and actually winning against elite European opposition remains the central frustration; for Bayern, maintaining this unbeaten record against their Scottish rivals keeps another historical footnote intact while they pursue deeper runs in the competition.

Related reading: AFC Bournemouth vs West Ham Timeline

Bayern Munich’s lopsided dominance over Celtic F.C. in Champions League clashes finds full documentation in this detailed head-to-head timeline spanning 2003 to 2025.

Frequently asked questions