Did Rodgers’ failure to sign a CB hinder Celtic in Champions League?

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Celtic cannot make the Champions League knockout stage after defeat to Bayern Munich.

Celtic players look dejected following their side’s loss in the UEFA Champions League group B match against Bayern Munich.

Celtic’s hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the Champions League were ended with a 2-1 home defeat to Bayern Munich.

Kingsley Coman gave the Bundesliga champions a first half lead but the home crowd were lifted when Callum McGregor netted the equaliser after the break. Unfortunately that last just four minutes as Javi Martinez headed in the winner for Bayern.

Callum McGregor of Celtic celebrates scoring his side’s first goal during the UEFA Champions League group B match against Bayern Munich.

If the Bhoys were to make it out of the group this was their opportunity following heaving losses to the Bavarians and Paris Saint-Germain already this season and in the end they came extremely close.

Yet if manager Brendan Rodgers had secured the centre-back the fans were calling out for over the summer could it have given them that little bit extra; not just against the Germans at Parkhead but in the competition as a whole?

The departure of Efe Ambrose and Eoghan O’Connell, along with the retirement of Kolo Toure, left the Glasgow side lacking in central defence. However, no one new arrived in the position.

Brendan Rodgers applauds the Celtic fans at the end of the match.

Criticism was aimed at Rodgers following the 3-0 defeat at the Allianz Arena as yet another injury to Jozo Simunovic saw Mikael Lustig pushed into the middle and Cristian Gamboa drafted in at right-back – with the latter having a torrid time in Munich.

At the time the Northern Irishman joked to the Guardian that those saying he should have signed a central defender “should be on the coaching team”, but maybe they have a point.

Lustig and Kieran Tierney have filled in admirably at centre-back when needed, but then their abilities as full-backs are lost, and while Nir Bitton did well against the Germans it is not his natural position either. Dedryck Boyata was at fault for Coman’s opener, but when he is the only natural player available in the position it is difficult to have an alternative plan.