Celtic throw away four-goal aggregate lead to crash out of Champions League against Lask
Celtic crashed out of the Champions League play-off round despite leading 4-0 on aggregate against Austrian side Lask, losing the second leg 5-1 in Linz after Callum McGregor's early goal seemed to put the tie beyond doubt. The collapse, one of the club's worst European results, means Celtic drop into the Europa League and miss out on more than £20m in prize money, marking the second consecutive year they have failed to reach the Champions League league stage. The defeat is likely to renew scrutiny of the club's transfer strategy, including the pre-tie sale of midfielder Arne Engels, after Celtic lost control of the game following the interval.
Moses Usor pulled Lask level on the night in the 32nd minute before Robert Ljubicic and Samuel Adeniran struck from range early in the second half, with Florian Flecker's stoppage-time header forcing extra time. Adeniran then completed his personal rout with a second goal, sealing a 5-1 win on the night as Celtic's defence, reshuffled with extra centre-backs, could not hold out; goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo did save a late penalty to deny Adeniran a hat-trick, but it was not enough to prevent Celtic's elimination.
- Celtic blew a 4-0 aggregate lead to lose 5-1 in Linz.
- They exit the Champions League and drop into the Europa League.
- Loss costs Celtic more than £20m and revives transfer criticism.
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Celtic went into the tie against Austrian club Lask holding a commanding 4-0 lead from the first leg, making progress to the next stage of Europe's top club competition, the Champions League, look like a formality. The Scottish champions are one of the country's most successful and best-supported clubs, and reaching the Champions League's group phase brings both prestige and significant prize money, which matters for a club operating in a smaller domestic league.
Lask are a mid-table Austrian side who have never reached this level of European football before, making Celtic's advantage even more pronounced going into the second leg in Linz. Play-off rounds like this one are one-off knockout stages that decide which clubs qualify for the Champions League proper, with the loser dropping into the Europa League, a slightly less prestigious but still valuable continental competition.
The outcome of this match therefore had major financial and sporting consequences for whichever side went through, and Celtic's transfer business before the tie, including the sale of midfielder Arne Engels, has already been a talking point among fans and pundits assessing the club's preparation for the season ahead.