Celtic's catastrophic Champions League playoff collapse against LASK has triggered an internal post-mortem by club officials. The Scottish champions surrendered a commanding 4-0 aggregate lead, losing the second leg 5-1 in Linz to miss out on a financial jackpot estimated at £40 million.
Having seemingly secured their place in the group stage with a dominant first-leg performance, Celtic traveled to face the Austrian champions with confidence. Callum McGregor's first-half goal in the return leg extended their overall advantage, but the match unraveled dramatically from there. LASK scored five unanswered goals to complete one of the most shocking turnarounds in the competition's history. The result is now regarded among the most humiliating in Celtic's long European history.
Former players and analysts were scathing in their assessment of the team's performance during the collapse. Stiliyan Petrov, a former Celtic midfielder, did not hold back. "Tonight, those players were hiding. There was nothing there," Petrov said. He argued that responsibility was widespread, stating everyone at the club was to blame for the failure.
Neil Lennon, who previously managed the club, placed the result among the worst he could remember. He observed that Celtic looked exhausted and fragile in physical duels, with many players suffering from cramp early in the game. Scott Brown echoed this view, stating LASK had battered Celtic both physically and in footballing terms. Kasper Schmeichel noted that LASK were statistically far superior in the second leg and that Celtic gifted them momentum with the first goal conceded.
Questions are also being asked about the club's readiness for the key playoff tie. Chris Sutton pointedly criticized the preparation and player trading strategy. "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail…" Sutton remarked, specifically questioning the logic behind the sale of a player named Maeda. Although the Celtic board had loosened the purse strings during the summer transfer window, clear gaps remained in the squad ahead of the two-legged tie. This lack of depth and perhaps fitness was exposed brutally over ninety minutes in Austria.
Instead of a lucrative Champions League campaign, Celtic will now compete in the UEFA Europa League group stage. The immediate focus must shift to domestic duties, where they have started the Premiership season strongly. Brendan Rodgers' side currently sits first in the table with six points from two wins, scoring six goals and conceding just one.
The team's early form, with a perfect record and a +5 goal difference, offers some solace. Key to that start has been striker K. Høgh, who is the current top scorer with three goals in two appearances. Maintaining this domestic momentum is essential to offset the European disappointment. The squad's depth and morale will be tested across multiple competitions, and fans can track the league standings on our standings section. The internal review launched by club VIPs will likely shape decisions in the remaining days of the transfer window and beyond, as they seek to ensure such a collapse is never repeated.
