While the The new format of the Champions League has brought a very necessary freshness to the tournament, there will be familiarity about what develops as it reaches the last stages.
Except for something notable in the coming weeks, the semifinals will be played by four parts of the five main leagues in Europe.
That has been the case in each of the last five editions since Ajax's race to the last four in 2019 threatened to alter the UEFA Apple cart.
The dance can be different, but the masterpiece of the tournament in the Allianz Arena in Munich comes on May 31, the finalists will not need an introduction.
For clubs such as Celtic, defining how successful Europe is seen in Europe is at this time a debatable point.
Accumulating 12 points to reach the elimination phase for the first time in a dozen years certainly marked a box. That now seems an objective attainable at the beginning of each campaign.
Brendan Rodgers has changed tactics since that humiliation of 7-1 against Dortmund
Captain Celta Callum McGregor is dejected while his side lost by little against Bayern
But, unless the play-offs raffle is extremely friendly, perhaps being paired with one side like Brest instead of Bayern Munich, the progression to the 16 round will always be the highest of orders.
The Bávaros giant wages law exceeds Celtic's three times. Routinely attract some of the best players on the planet, such as Harry Kane.
Therefore, there will always have to be a sense of realism about the possibilities that the great minor leagues clubs improve them.
The success for Celtic, then, is surely the best possible version of themselves inside and outside the field, and see how far it leads.
Despite losing the strange goal in Tres against Bayern on Wednesday, there was comfort for his followers in the manner of defeat.
Brendan Rodgers's side was the second best, without a doubt, but were not destroyed.
When Kane hit a volley to double the leadership of visitors at the beginning of the second half, you were afraid that a defeat was in the cards and that the second section would be a formality.
However, there are now more about this Celtic team at such moments. Unlike Dortmund last October, two goals did not quickly become three, then four and five with the final account a humiliating seven.
Celtic has learned from that humble experience: the manager, the players and his followers.
There is an appreciation of the need to be more cautious against superior opponents, to play percentages, endure there and give the best possible opportunity to cause discomfort.
Celtic travels to Allianz next week with just a trace of the possibility of winning the draw. But the fact is that they are still in it. That could be seen as progress.
For those who attended, that dark night in Dortmund must have felt how the repetition of an old horror movie.
First time under Rodgers, Celtic sent seven in Barcelona and Paris and lost five against PSG in Glasgow.
The domestic domain of the Irish of the north occurred with an interrogation sign on its tactics when facing the elite of Europe.
His insistence on facing face to face with sides loaded with world -class talents seemed an act of self -injuries … and had fans watching cracks on their fingers.
It seemed so impenitent in Signal Iduna Park last October as it had been after those previous hammers along the way.
The accusation that his refusal to yield tactically was to bring a flamethrower to the small possibility of Celtic to prevail was legitimate at that time. But you don't feel applicable anymore.
Starting with a highly disciplined scroll draw against Atalanta in Bergamo, Rodgers has adapted the focus of his team to adapt to each opponent.
In Dortmund, his team pursued lost causes, played as individuals and emptied spaces for the local team to explode. He was the epitome of how to lose a match in the Champions League.
On Wednesday, against another German giant, they went against their natural instincts. They were compact and cautious.
Territory were delivered, they defended themselves as a unit and made visitors work for any opening. They lost the game but won the fans for showing entrails and tactical insight.
Alistair Johnston almost grabbed a draw in the first section of the tiebreaker
“After Bayern Munich won the second, Celtic played with the desired courage and continued fighting,” former Celta striker Chris Sutton said.
'There was much desire and resistance and more belief in the final third.
'Celtic have given themselves a chance. 2-0, I thought that Bayern Munich was going to flee absolutely with that.
To tell the truth, it was not a story of luck. Adam Idah was in an offside position and stopped in Manuel Neuer's eye line when he let Nicolas Kuhn hit the first minute under him.
Out of play is out of play.
Nor could any complaint be offered when the Spanish referee Jesús Gil Manzano ruled that Dayot Upamecano had put a foot in the ball before cutting down Arne Engels in the second half.
The only criticism of Celtic was that their few opportunities did not take full advantage. The inability of Daizen Maeda to achieve the goal after beating Manuel Neuer to a setback was a good example.
However, the opportunistic goal of the Japanese star with 11 minutes, its 22nd of an outstanding season, has certainly put the cat among the pigeons.
If Alistair's strike Johnston had been at some point later that he is not straight in Neuer, Rodgers' players could well have claimed an unlikely raffle.
While the 2-1 final score adapted to the Germans, Celtic will feel sincere of other statistics.
Bayern was expected to enjoy more possession, 56.9 percent versus 43.1 percent, but visitors only had a total shooting (10-9), with five in the objective compared to the two of Celtic.
Seven Corners each also spoke with an adequate football contest. The Bayern should end the work in front of their own fans next Tuesday, but will distrust the fact that this celtic side has structure, spirit and nothing to lose now.
“The most important thing in this type of games, when you are playing one of the best sides in the world, is not to let them out of view,” goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel said.
'We show a lot of character to return to the game. It will be difficult to win in Munich, we are not under the illusion of that, but you never know.
'We were against one of the best sides in the world. You will always have to defend: what you need is a bit of luck and we didn't have much of that tonight. '