Callum McGregor continues to etch his name into Celtic’s history books.
On Sunday, Celtic beat Motherwell to maintain their 10-point lead at the top of the table – with a game in hand – and it was a special occasion for the man with the armband.
That was McGregor’s 500th appearance for Celtic and he marked it with three points, as he continues to go strength to strength in the colours of his boyhood club.
It’s another season where the 31-year-old is racking up the trophies and another chance for him to win a Treble under Brendan Rodgers.
This is a huge month for the club and McGregor himself, as the Parkhead faithful are going to be needed more than ever before.
Celtic welcome Bayern Munich to Glasgow for the first leg of their knockout play-off encounter in the Champions League.
It’s fitting for someone like McGregor that it’s Bayern coming to town because the German giants hold a special place in his heart.
Callum McGregor notes Bayern Munich game as the ‘loudest’ he has ever heard Celtic Park
Following McGregor’s landmark moment at Celtic, he sat down to discuss some of his great moments over the years.
His first Champions League goal came against Bayern in 2017 during the group stages – it’s fitting they visit next week – and he shared that it’s probably the ‘loudest’ he has heard the home supporters, as he told Celtic TV.
Let’s be honest, it was always probably going to be a European game under the lights that would generate the loudest noise and many hope it will be repeated next week.
“My first goal in the Champions League group stages came against Bayern, which seems fitting now that we play them next week,” said McGregor.
“An amazing moment, personally to score in the Champions League, it’s the pinnacle of playing football. It’s the highest level. You watch it growing up, years and years, then you are playing in it. To score in it was an unbelievable feeling.
“The atmosphere on the night was incredible. The supporters were right behind the team the whole night. What a moment. The temperature of the game was rising ever so slightly. We were on top in that moment in the game and I just find myself ghosting in between a couple of players. James (Forrest) had played an unbelievable pass, which was right into my path and, at moment, I am thinking, ‘just try to hit the target. Try and go through the goalkeeper’s legs’, and I managed to do that. It landed in the back of the net. I think everybody still remembers the noise. It’s probably the loudest I have heard Celtic Park. To be part of such a big moment, it was a huge step in my career.”
Who played for Celtic against Bayern Munich in 2017?
In some cases, it’s the same old, same old, whilst a lot has also changed since that Bayern match in 2017.
The same old is that Celtic are still dominating on the domestic scene. The change is the fact that only two players remain from that 2-1 Bayern defeat at Parkhead in 2017 – and it will become three in the summer when Kieran Tierney returns.
But who were the Celtic players that donned the colours on that night under Rodgers?
Goalkeeper: Craig Gordon
Right wing-back: James Forrest
Centre-backs: Mikael Lustig, Dedryck Boyata and Nir Bitton.
Left wing-back: Kieran Tierney
Midfield from right to left: Callum McGregor, Scott Brown, Stuart Armstrong and Scott Sinclair
Forward: Moussa Dembele
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