Celtic manager Martin O'Neill took full personal responsibility after his side suffered one of the darkest nights in the club's European history, blowing a four-goal aggregate lead to lose 5-4 to LASK in the Champions League play-offs following extra time. The collapse, which O'Neill said left him more disappointed than losing the 2003 UEFA Cup final, means Celtic miss out on lucrative Champions League football and must now navigate the rest of the transfer window without the financial windfall that qualification would have brought.

O'Neill admitted the club are "a million miles from the finished article", while captain Callum McGregor said the team looked "passive" and "scared" throughout and offered no excuses for the defeat. Former Celtic figures Scott Brown and Neil Lennon said Celtic looked exhausted and fragile against a stronger, more determined LASK side, who they felt deserved to progress. It follows last year's play-off penalty shootout exit to Kairat Almaty, deepening concerns about Celtic's readiness for Europe's top competition.