THEY needed to be a level beyond relentless.
Instead, they were several worse than hopeless.
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There’s no point dressing this hiding up any other way, no point shrugging that no one could have lived with a Dortmund side this ruthless.
Because now, Celtic need to own the miserable way they crumbled to rubble in front of the Yellow Wall.
Brendan Rodgers has to accept that after claiming they were ready to forge a new reputation on the big stage, the truth is that this was back to the very worst of their bad old days.
A year ago, they lost 6-0 away to Atletico Madrid in this competition then went home and battered Aberdeen 6-0 in the league.
On Saturday, they won 6-0 at St Johnstone, then came here and shipped seven going on ten.
Seems the levels haven’t shifted a jot in 12 months.
Seems they’re still a million miles away from being where they want to be.
Having said all of which, they might still get out of this initial stage and into the last 16 — the new format and the winnable home games it handed them makes ten points far from beyond them.
But they can’t keep letting this happen on the road.
They can’t keep taking this level of hiding every time they put a passport in their pocket.
They can’t keep making the same sorry, stupid mistakes as soon as they’re asked to punch above their weight.
Most of all, they can’t pride themselves on running till they drop against the St Johnstones of the world then freeze on the spot when the going gets tough.
I wrote in my column on Monday that, for Celtic to come away from this cauldron unscathed, they needed all ten outfield players to replicate THAT 50-yard run Daizen Maeda made to win the ball back at 6-0 up in Perth on Saturday night, except 20 times over each.
Those are the basics if you want to match a side who reached the final of this tournament last season, a side driven forward by a tidal wave of fanaticism the way a cruise ship is propelled by an engine the size of a double-decker bus.
You run, you run, you run. You stick to your man like glue. You sweat bullets to give them as little time and space as humanly possible.
These are the qualities that require no technique, just application and desire and concentration.
Player ratings
KASPER SCHMEICHEL: Pulled down Jamie Gittens for first spot-kick. Well beaten by Karim Adeyemi’s thunderbolt, and powerless to prevent the rout as Borussia hit seven 3
ALISTAIR JOHNSTON: Right-back had tough night against deadly Adeyemi. Fought hard against Gittens in the second half after hat-trick hero hobbled off. Also limped off late on 4
AUSTON TRUSTY: In for the crocked Cameron Carter- Vickers but deflected in Adeyemi’s angled drive for Borussia’s second. Tough shift in just his third start for the Hoops 4
LIAM SCALES: He nodded clear to deny Serhou Guirassy a free header at back post. The pick of the Hoops defenders, but seventh goal flew through his legs on way in 4
GREG TAYLOR: Left-back freed Daizen Maeda with ball over the top as Celts tested Borussia. Gave ball away too often in Hoops territory. Hooked at half-time for Alex Valle 3
ARNE ENGELS: The £11million star was back in Germany and delivered great cross for Maeda’s equaliser. Kicked Adeyemi to concede second penalty as Borussia ran riot 4
CALLUM McGREGOR: Unlucky with the deflection which allowed Gittens in for the first spot-kick. Couple of wayward passes too as Julian Brandt bossed midfield 4
PAULO BERNARDO: Handed start ahead of Reo Hatate but couldn’t assert himself. Brendan Rodgers took the decision to replace him with Japan ace at the break 3
NICOLAS KUHN: He drifted over to the left to link with Maeda and try to breach the Borussia defence. Tame effort on goal after being freed by sub Hatate in the second half 4
KYOGO FURUHASHI: Tried to feed off scraps as Celts were forced back. Even scurried back to try to win possession in Hoops’ defensive third as they sought to limit damage 4
DAIZEN MAEDA: He burst past Emre Can to net Celts’ quick equaliser. Pressed hard and his pace troubled Borussia, but gave ball away to Adeyemi for his hat-trick goal 4
These are bits of the game that aren’t about budgets or sponsorship money or top-level European experience.
These are the bits that shouldn’t need coaching, they should come ingrained in any top pro’s mentality. Yet, for me, Celtic fell a mile short on them all.
They were half a step short on every run, half a shirt’s width off every opponent, half an ounce of effort shy of what it took just to stay in with a shout.
On a night when they needed to treat the ball like a precious gem every time it was loaned back to them, they booted it around like a hot potato.
They gave it away for fun. They sold each other into trouble time and again.
It took less than four minutes for Dortmund to work their first three-against-two.
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It took less than another 90 seconds for Jamie Gittens to bounce his way through and win the penalty that started the rout.
Look back at the replays of that move. See how easily Julian Brandt turns away from Paulo Bernardo and gets his head up for the through ball.
For me, that level of slackness — especially so early on, when legs and minds are fresh — is unforgivable.
Those moments set the tone. From then on, the Germans swished around on castors, the Scottish champions waded through treacle.
Yes, Dortmund are excellent. Sure, guys like three-goal Karim Adeyemi, the elegant Brandt and long-legged frontman Serhou Guirassy were in sensational form.
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But we’ve said and read all the same things down the years about Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, Vini Jr and Luka Modric, Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata and so many more.
We’ve kept hearing the same story about how hard it is to play at this level.
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Surely, though, there has to come a time when the penny drops and Celtic find a different way to play against the top boys, a way that doesn’t have them trying to go-toe-toe with sides who can pick them off at will?
Because if this is what Brendan Rodgers calls HIS way . . . well, answers on a postcard.
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