The Sports Guru
Celtic were four goals up on aggregate against LASK and still went out of the Champions League. This article explains how that lead disappeared, what the numbers say about the gap in the second leg, and why Martin O'Neill is framing it as a squad problem rather than a one-off bad night. Read on to understand what changes now, both for Celtic's European campaign and their next test at home to Falkirk.
Four goals clear on aggregate with half an hour of the second leg played, Celtic ended the night dropping into the Europa League instead. LASK's 5-1 win in Linz, completed in extra time, overturned that advantage to seal a 5-4 aggregate victory, and the manner of the collapse will worry Martin O'Neill more than the scoreline alone.
How a four-goal cushion disappeared
Callum McGregor's deflected finish after 21 minutes, set up by Yang Hyun-jun cutting in from the left, moved Celtic four goals clear on aggregate. Moses Usor pulled one back for LASK in the 32nd minute after a slack Benjamin Nygren backpass, and Celtic still led the tie by three goals at the break. That lead did not survive the second half. Robert Ljubicic scored two minutes after the restart, Samuel Adeniran swept in a third from range in the 58th minute, and Florian Flecker's goal in the 90th minute forced extra time. Adeniran's low strike in the 109th minute settled it at 5-1 on the night, and though he had a penalty saved by Viljami Sinisalo, the damage was already done.
The numbers behind the capitulation
LASK finished the second leg with 40 shots to Celtic's 8, and an expected-goals figure of 4.35 against Celtic's 0.42, according to the match statistics. Celtic actually edged possession, 51.7% to 48.3%, which only sharpens the question of how a side controlling the ball conceded that heavily. The gap between territory and threat is the story of the collapse: Celtic had the ball, LASK had the goals.
O'Neill's own diagnosis
The Celtic manager did not look for excuses afterwards. He said the result showed "we obviously have a lot of work to do" on squad depth, and called the tie "a real, real test" that Celtic "failed" on the night. Asked whether this ranked among his worst nights in European football, O'Neill said it did, though he placed it below losing the 2003 UEFA Cup final, pointing out this was "a qualifying game which we should have been able to get through." His conclusion was blunt: Celtic are "a million miles from the finished article."
The captain's verdict
Callum McGregor was equally direct. He told Amazon Prime that Celtic "got what we deserved" after being "passive all night" and looking "scared to go and win the game," adding that the squad would have to "suck it up" and show what they are "made of." Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon, working as a pundit, said LASK "battered Celtic tonight, physically and on the football side," and suggested it "could have been more."
Why this is not just a bad night
Celtic went out at the same stage of Champions League qualifying twelve months ago, against Kairat Almaty. A repeat exit at this stage, after building what should have been a decisive lead, points to something beyond a single off-colour performance. O'Neill pointed to squad depth as the area Celtic must address, and the picture that emerged from the second half was broader still: conditioning and composure both faltered once LASK gained momentum. The shot count from the second leg supports that reading: Celtic could not get out of their own half for long stretches once LASK closed to within one goal on aggregate.
What happens next
Celtic drop into the Europa League, with the draw for that competition due on Thursday, 27 August. Domestically, they return to Premiership action at home to Falkirk on Saturday. Full-back Johnston remains sidelined until October, adding to the depth questions O'Neill raised after the LASK defeat.
Frequently Asked Questions
LASK won 5-4 on aggregate, completing a 5-1 extra-time win in the second leg that overturned Celtic's earlier advantage from the first leg.
Celtic moved four goals clear on aggregate after 21 minutes through Callum McGregor, but LASK hit back with four goals across the second half and extra time, including two from Samuel Adeniran, to win 5-1 on the night and take the tie 5-4 on aggregate.
Samuel Adeniran, who scored twice for LASK and had an average user rating of 8.69, was named player of the match.
Celtic drop into the Europa League, with the draw for that competition scheduled for Thursday, 27 August.
O'Neill said the result showed Celtic have "a lot of work to do" on squad depth and called the team "a million miles from the finished article," while ranking the night below his 2003 UEFA Cup final loss.
Research: This article uses the archived evidence supplied for this story. Story inspiration: BBC Sport's original report.