Karim Adeyemi fires hat-trick as Borussia Dortmund demolish Celtic

The Champions League often seems to deliver tough moments for Celtic. It's hard to ignore the feeling that they struggle to compete outside their familiar domestic league. Borussia Dortmund dominated the game, with the outcome clear well before half-time. The Germans have won both of their matches so far in this new format and are hoping to replicate their impressive performance from last season, although they will face much tougher challenges ahead. This match felt like a Grand Master facing off against an orangutan in a game of chess—men against boys.

Celtic's next match against Atalanta is suddenly under a lot of pressure. Their poor performance in the previous game has shaken the belief that they were more prepared for the Champions League than ever before. The team's display was shaky and filled with mistakes. Brendan Rodgers has now managed three different Celtic squads that have all conceded seven goals in a single Champions League game. In addition, his record also includes defeats by six and five goals.

Rodgers acknowledged that it was challenging to witness the game unfold. “There are nights like this that can be difficult, but they’re part of the game at this level. It’s important to learn from experiences like this and move forward. We entered the match feeling confident, but we definitely needed to start off stronger than we did.”

Before the match even started, the governing body of European football was already seeing profits. A penalty is bound to be imposed after the teams came out to large banners in the Yellow Wall, calling UEFA a "mafia." Below that, the message read: "You don't care about the sport; all you care about is money." Additionally, the use of fireworks by Celtic fans will lead to further punishment.

A wild start quickly distracted everyone from what was happening in the crowd. Celtic ended up doing exactly what they were trying to prevent by giving Dortmund a boost. They managed to fight their way back into the match but then let in a second goal that was just as weak defensively as the first one scored by the home team.

Jamie Gittens' success in earning a penalty from a frustrated Kasper Schmeichel had an element of luck to it. Gittens managed to seize the ball from Celtic's captain, Callum McGregor, as he made a run from midfield. However, he should have been stopped much earlier, well before Schmeichel had to bring him down. Emre Can had a good reunion with Brendan Rodgers, who was once his manager at Liverpool, and the midfielder skillfully sent Schmeichel the wrong way with his penalty kick from the spot.

Celtic reacted swiftly. A brilliant cross from Arne Engels on the right side caught the Dortmund defense off guard. Daizen Maeda darted in to find the net with his stomach, sparking ecstatic celebrations among the traveling fans.

That moment of happiness didn’t last long. Just four minutes later, Karim Adeyemi scored his third goal by outpacing Auston Trusty and blasting a shot past Schmeichel, aided by a deflection off Trusty. Throughout the first half, Dortmund repeatedly sliced through Celtic's defense with surprising ease. For the Scottish champions competing against Europe’s best, this felt all too familiar.

Adeyemi, who was at the heart of Dortmund’s success, scored their third goal. By this stage, Celtic was struggling to keep up. There was a sense of carelessness involved; the sort that often gets overlooked in Scottish football. Celtic only partially cleared a corner, allowing Adeyemi to seize the loose ball. Schmeichel appeared to be caught off guard by the shot, which zipped past him at the near post from a difficult angle.

Before this match, Celtic had only let in four goals all season. However, they matched that number in just 40 minutes due to another penalty. Engels foolishly stepped on Adeyemi’s foot, forcing the referee to get involved. Adeyemi chose to forgo a chance at a hat trick – he likely felt confident he would score again – and instead, Serhou Guirassy took the penalty and made sure to score.

By the time halftime arrived, it was 5-0. Adeyemi finally achieved the hat trick he had earned, scoring with a low shot after Maeda lost the ball. Dortmund was relentless in their attacks. Celtic's improved goal difference from their previous 5-1 victory over Slovan Bratislava was wiped away in just one breathtaking half. Rodgers felt that his players seemed to be “shaken” during that first half.

A sorrowful Adeyemi hobbled off the field just three minutes into the second half, which seemed to energize Celtic the most during the night. Schmeichel managed to deflect a shot from Julien Duranville around the post while Dortmund aimed for their sixth goal. However, there was a clear decrease in the energy from Nuri Sahin’s squad; they had already accomplished what they set out to do.

Number six eventually arrived. Alistair Johnston sent the ball directly to the other team, setting up Guirassy for a one-on-one with Liam Scales. The Celtic center-back was easily outmaneuvered, and Guirassy tricked Schmeichel before scoring. Miscommunication in defense led to the seventh goal for Dortmund. Trusty, who was having a rough match, lost possession, and Felix Nmecha capitalized on the mistake. This marked yet another nightmare performance for Celtic.