Brendan Rodgers lamented "a game where every mistake we made got punished" after Celtic's 7-1 hammering at the hands of Borussia Dortmund.
Last year's Champions League runners-up Dortmund extended their club record unbeaten home run in the competition to 12 matches (W8 D4) in emphatic fashion on Tuesday.
Karim Adeyemi led the way with a first-half hat-trick as BVB led 5-1 at the break, with the forward becoming the first Dortmund player to score three goals in the opening 45 minutes of a major European game since Marcio Amoroso in a 2002 UEFA Cup semi-final against Milan.
Celtic, who equalised just two minutes after Emre Can had opened the scoring from the penalty spot at Signal Iduna Park, became the first British team to concede five goals in the first half of a game in major European competition since Cwmbran Town against Progresul Bucharest in the 1997-98 UEFA Cup Winner's Cup.
For the third time in his managerial career, after 7-0 and 7-1 drubbings by Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain respectively in 2016 and 2017, Rodgers saw his side ship seven goals in the Champions League.
"I don't think I've been involved in a game where every mistake we made got punished," Rodgers told TNT Sports.
"It was a tough watch, to be honest. We weren't at our best. They showed why they are a top, top team. We didn't make the start we wanted.
"We went in high in confidence. We felt we were in a really good place. We had to start much better than we did, as we gave away really cheap goals. And we got punished for loose bits of play and passes.
"They were ruthless in their finishing. It was incredible to see.
"My job is to go away and inspire the players again. We need to learn from it or we will get punished at this level."
Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin, meanwhile, said his team have set a "benchmark" for their level of performance moving forward, after what has been an inconsistent start to the season.
Speaking to Amazon Prime, Sahin said: "Of course I'm extremely happy, but I can also put the game in Stuttgart [a 5-1 loss] into perspective – and today.
"What makes me happiest is how the guys worked up front. Goals like that come when you run up front like that. We didn't manage that at all in Stuttgart.
"With the speed and quality up front, we’re hard to beat. This coverage, the will to win the ball, has to be the benchmark. We've made steps in our notorious development."
Dortmund matched their joint-highest victory in the Champions League, matching a 6-0 win over Legia Warsaw in 2016.
STATHS Class of 1978 and Friends to spotlight school's sports legends in webathon for new medical and counselling centre
The St. Andrew Technical High School graduating class of 1978, along with friends, are joining forces to stage a web-a-thon aimed at raising funds for the construction of a state-of-the-art Medical Counselling and Intervention Centre at the Kingston-based school. The initiative, led by sports agent Claude Bryan as chairman of the project, is a vital step in modernizing the school's outdated sick bay and providing essential health and counselling services for its students.
Operating under the banner STATHS 78 and Friends Incorporated, the group consists of graduates from 1978 and non-78 graduates who have come together with a shared goal of improving the school's infrastructure. The primary objective is to replace the existing sick bay, which has remained unchanged since the school's inception, with a modern facility that meets 21st-century standards, including incorporating green technology like solar energy.
“The reason behind it is that the sick bay that was there, I was told, has been the same since the school started. It’s still the same dimensions with only limited bed space, so we wanted to do something that would benefit the entire student body,” said Bryan.
To kick off their fundraising efforts, the group will host a three-hour webathon on Saturday, November 2, 2024, from 6-9 pm. The event will take on a sporting flavor, highlighting the lives and achievements of 16 sporting legends who attended STATHS. Among these legends are the late Jamaica and West Indies cricketer Richard "Danny Germs" Austin, Olympian Mike Fray, and Reggae Boy Jeadine White. In addition to the tributes, there will also be musical performances throughout the evening.
Bryan emphasized the importance of the event, encouraging people to tune in and support the cause. “It’s our first major fundraising thrust, and we’re encouraging folks to call in or log in, listen, learn, and support the event.”
Supporters can participate in the event by logging in at https://givebutter.com/Z3RPbW. The funds raised will help bring the much-needed medical, counselling, and intervention centre to life, ensuring that future generations of students at St. Andrew High School benefit from improved health and well-being services.
With the backing of STATHS 78 and Friends Incorporated, the school community is hopeful that this initiative will be the first of many steps in ensuring that their students are provided with the best possible care in a modern, sustainable facility.
Milan's Fonseca upbeat despite Champions League loss
Paulo Fonseca viewed Milan's display in their Champions League defeat to Bayer Leverkusen as their best performance of the season.
Milan went down 1-0 at BayArena on Tuesday, meaning they have now lost both of their matches so far in the new-look competition.
The seven-time European champions are now winless across their last six matches against German opposition in major competitions (D4 L2) since a 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich in April 2007.
Milan came on strong after Victor Boniface's goal early in the second half, though prior to that had been by far second best, mustering only one shot and 0.04 expected goals (xG) in the opening 45 minutes.
They hit the woodwork in the second half while Lukas Hradecky made a smart stop to deny Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and despite the rather grim match statistics, Fonseca believes his team turned in their best display of the campaign.
"We didn't win, but it's the game I've liked the most since I arrived here," Fonseca told Sky Sport.
"Especially in the second half. We played a fantastic game, it's not easy against a team like Leverkusen.
"We are sad and disappointed with the result, but I am satisfied with the courage and form shown.
"It was difficult for us. In the first half we suffered on the wings."
In the closing minutes, Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie made a challenge on Loftus-Cheek at the edge of the area, which the Milan boss believes should have resulted in a penalty.
"For me it's a penalty, it's an intervention on the line," Fonseca said. "What's strange is that they haven't even reviewed the situation. The referee during the game had no doubts, but I don't like to talk about the referee."
Speaking to Milan TV, Fonseca said his side deserved to get something from the game.
"I honestly think the result is not fair, in the second half we created many clear chances," he said.
"It's true that we didn't win, but there was an improvement in our growth. It was evident. This is why we must move forward, because the growth is evident."
'You have to know how to suffer', says triumphant Leverkusen boss Alonso
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso says his team "have to know how to suffer and fight" after their Champions League win over Milan.
Victor Boniface scored early in the second half at BayArena on Tuesday, and though Milan hit the woodwork as they searched for an equaliser, the Bundesliga champions held firm.
Leverkusen have now taken six points from their opening two Champions League matches.
After dominating the first half, in which they mustered six shots on target – only once ever having more on record (since 2003-04) when facing Real Sociedad in October 2013 (seven) – Leverkusen were less convincing following Boniface's goal.
But Alonso put that down to fatigue following Leverkusen's 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich on Saturday, in which his side were largely dominated but held on for a point.
"I think it's great news that German football is competitive. It's good news for us too to have achieved this result against Milan," Alonso told Sky Sports.
"Our first sixty minutes were good but in the end we suffered from fatigue after the game against Bayern Munich.
"We showed spirit and character, these three points are very good. In the Champions League you have to know how to suffer and fight, not just play well.
"We struggled a lot to score but maybe after the goal we changed our approach too quickly. Maybe we lacked something on a physical level.
"We had the right respect and took them very seriously. The last 20 minutes were not quite as good, but the players gave everything to get the three points."
Leverkusen are now unbeaten across their last ten home games in major European competition (W7 D3), their longest such run in club history.
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