Alistair Johnston reacts to Celtic vs Bayern Munich Champions League draw, worries over fan ban

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Celtic know now they will face Bayern Munich in the Champions League knockout playoff.

The UEFA draw was made this morning and Brendan Rodgers‘ side learned they would face the Bundesliga giants after narrowly missing out on a humungous challenge against Real Madrid.

Bayern is still a brutal fixture for Celts and Vincent Kompany explained how he hoped to have a “hot” atmosphere for the game when it comes in mid-February.

Hoops star Alistair Johnston has done well in the competition so far this campaign and is a major contributor to the club reaching the latter stages.

So there are few players more qualified to meet the press on the day of the draw.

The right-back reckons there was never going to be any easy fixtures in the knockouts but he did acknowledge that his side were handed a particularly rough end of it.

However, despite Bayern’s dominant decade atop the Bundesliga rankings, AJ is confident in front of a packed out Parkhead that Celtic can give as good as they get and push any opponent when the stadium is rocking.

• READ MORE: ‘Bang out of order’ – Pundit launches tirade as Celtic fans face UEFA ban for Bayern Munich Champions League clash

Alistair Johnston reacts to Celtic vs Bayern Munich draw

“When you look at the two options of Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, they both were some big European powerhouses,” the Canadian said.

“I think for us we were just looking forward to whoever we got, it will be an amazing experience and a great opportunity for us to go and show Europe what we’re all about.

“It will be a really fun first-leg at Celtic Park, it will be loud and one that everybody’s gonna circle in excited for.

“That’s to come in two weeks, comes around the corner pretty quick, so we’ll focus on that when it gets a little closer but an amazing fixture.

“I was looking at all the clubs left and it’s quite an impressive list of who’s who of European football so I don’t think there’s any ‘easier’ games.

“Bayern is coming into this and expect to compete for the trophy as every team is. They’re a team that if you ask the bookies they’ll actually have a chance of really doing it.

“It’s a difficult draw but it’s one we’re all looking forward to. Having the first-leg at home is something to build on and it’ll be important our crowd is right behind us from the get-go.

“I imagine it will be quite a loud one so anything’s possible, we just need to come out firing from the get-go and hopefully give ourselves a chance into the second-leg, put some pressure on them but it’s a top team.

“A team that’s been utterly dominant in Germany for the last decade or so, obviously last year Leverkusen took the title but they’re top of the league and such a strong outfit so won’t be an easy task.”

Celtic will need a good start from the first-leg in Glasgow considering the level of opponent but also for another reason.

The Scottish Premiership giants face an away stadium ban following pyro usage at Aston Villa on Wednesday evening at Villa Park.

A €20,000 fine was issued back in October for a similar offence in Dortmund as well as a suspended ban.

The club issued a statement on the possible ban and now Johnston insists it would be a shame to lose such an atmosphere as he praised Celtic’s fanbase for their noise.

Celtic fans could be banned from the Champions League Bayern away tie

“We just got word that that’s being looked at by UEFA,” he added.

“It would definitely be disappointing for our fans and also just for the Champions League in general because our fans are known for being so loud.

“You can even hear it just talking to some of the Villa players after, just seeing the scenes after we equalised.

“It’s something we all want, that atmosphere, give and take in the stadium, it makes the football match feel like a football match.

“I think it would definitely be a disappointment if they’re not able to come but that’s out of our hand.

“Hopefully there’s something can be done that works out where we can have our fans there because I think it just adds to the whole experience, not only for our fans but for the Munich fans.

“We just really want our fans there, not only for on the pitch but for the whole atmosphere and the game benefits from that and we saw that from Villa Park.”