LASK end Celtic's Champions League hopes with astonishing comeback
Published: 03:08 PM,Aug 26,2026 | EDITED : 07:08 PM,Aug 26,2026
Celtic blew a four-goal aggregate lead and lost 5-4 to Austrian side LASK on Tuesday as their Champions League hopes were dashed for another season in one of the worst European nights in the club's history.
The Scottish champions went into the playoff in Linz 3-0 up from the first leg and looked on their way after captain Callum McGregor scored a 21st-minute opener.
The away fans were already singing 'we're having a party in the Champions League' when it all went wrong and the celebrations died.
Martin O'Neill's side collapsed as LASK equalised in the 32nd and rattled in four more goals to win 5-1 on the night, with Celtic heading for another campaign in the Europa League.
Moses Usor made it 1-1 before Robert Ljubicic put LASK ahead in the 48th and Samuel Adeniran added another in the 58th.
Substitute Florian Flecker then levelled the aggregate scores from close range after a VAR check in the 90th minute to take the game into extra time, with Adeniran scoring his second in the 109th.
It could have been more, with LASK also having a penalty saved by Viljami Sinisalo in the 115th.
'We got what we deserved. We were passive all night. We looked scared to go and win the game', McGregor said.
'We have to suck it up. We apologise to our supporters and the club because there's no way we should lose that game'. — Reuters