Celtic exit Champions League after 5-1 defeat to LASK in Austria
6 sources • 2 min read • Latest: Aug 25, 2026, 11:12 PM
Last updated Aug 25, 2026
Celtic faced a disappointing exit from the UEFA Champions League after losing 5-1 to LASK in the second leg of the play-off round on August 25, 2026, in Linz. Despite initially taking a 1-0 lead through Callum McGregor's goal, Celtic's aggregate advantage shrank as LASK equalized and then dominated in the second half and extra time. LASK’s comeback included three goals in the second half, forcing the match into extra time where they scored a fifth to secure their advancement. Celtic will now shift focus to the UEFA Europa League following the defeat.
- •Celtic led 1-0 and 4-0 on aggregate before defeat.
- •LASK equalized through Moses Usor and scored four unanswered goals.
- •Three goals came in the second half and two in extra time.
- •Celtic will drop into the UEFA Europa League.
- •The match took place at the Oberosterreich Arena in Linz.
- 11:12 PMYahoo Sports — Celtic coughs up 4-goal lead in humiliating Champions League exit in qualifying playoffs
- 11:03 PMYahoo Sports — Celtic crash out of Champions League as LASK stun them with comeback
- 10:09 PMYahoo Sports — Celtic suffer Euro defeat to exit Champions League
- 9:40 PMThe Guardian Sport — Celtic throw away four-goal aggregate lead to crash out of Champions League against Lask
"An embarrassing Champions League exit Tuesday for Celtic in the qualifying playoffs somehow was even worse than last year. Celtic led 4-0 on aggregate score Tuesday after a half hour of the second leg in Austria, yet five unanswered goals by LASK — the fifth and decisive one coming in extra time of a 5-1 win — still felt like coach Martin O'Neill's team got off lightly with a 5-4 loss on aggregate score. It is now two straight years the Scottish title holder has wasted clear chances to play on the lucrative biggest stage of European club soccer by losing in late-August to an unheralded team advancing for the very first time.
"Celtic threw away a four-goal lead in Austria as they missed out on the Champions League for the second year running. The Scottish champions looked to be cruising into the league stage when Callum McGregor put them 4-0 up on aggregate against Lask with a 21st-minute deflected strike. However, they went on to endure one of their all-time European lows with a 5-1 defeat in Linz delivering a £20million-plus blow. Continue reading...
"Celtic threw away a four-goal lead in Austria as they missed out on the Champions League for the second year running. The Scottish champions looked to be cruising into the league stage when Callum McGregor put them 4-0 up on aggregate against LASK with a 21st-minute deflected strike.
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsAug 25, 2026, 11:12 PMCeltic coughs up 4-goal lead in humiliating Champions League exit in qualifying playoffs
An embarrassing Champions League exit Tuesday for Celtic in the qualifying playoffs somehow was even worse than last year. Celtic led 4-0 on aggregate score Tuesday after a half hour of the second leg in Austria, yet five unanswered goals by LASK — the fifth and decisive one coming in extra time of a 5-1 win — still felt like coach Martin O'Neill's team got off lightly with a 5-4 loss on aggregate score. It is now two straight years the Scottish title holder has wasted clear chances to play on the lucrative biggest stage of European club soccer by losing in late-August to an unheralded team advancing for the very first time.
- Yahoo SportsAug 25, 2026, 11:03 PMCeltic crash out of Champions League as LASK stun them with comeback
Celtic threw away a four-goal lead in Austria as they missed out on the Champions League for the second year running. The Scottish champions looked to be cruising into the league stage when Callum McGregor put them 4-0 up on aggregate against LASK with a 21st-minute deflected strike.
- Yahoo SportsAug 25, 2026, 10:09 PMCeltic suffer Euro defeat to exit Champions League
UEFA Champions LeaguePlay-off round, second legOberosterreich Arena, Linz, AustriaTuesday, August 25, 2026LASK…5(Usor 32, Ljubicic 48, Adeniran 58 & 109, Flecker 90)CELTIC…1(McGregor 21)Lask win 5...
- The Guardian SportAug 25, 2026, 9:40 PMCeltic throw away four-goal aggregate lead to crash out of Champions League against Lask
Celtic threw away a four-goal lead in Austria as they missed out on the Champions League for the second year running. The Scottish champions looked to be cruising into the league stage when Callum McGregor put them 4-0 up on aggregate against Lask with a 21st-minute deflected strike. However, they went on to endure one of their all-time European lows with a 5-1 defeat in Linz delivering a £20million-plus blow. Continue reading...
- Sky Sports—Celtic throw away four-goal lead to exit CL play-offs in LASK horror show
Celtic suffered a stunning Champions League play-off collapse as LASK overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit to win 5-4 after extra-time and send the Scottish champions crashing into the Europa League.
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