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Celtic faces crucial qualifying challenge in Champions League

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 18, 2026, 1:04 PM

Last updated Aug 18, 2026

Celtic faces crucial qualifying challenge in Champions League

Summary

Celtic must overcome their poor history in Champions League qualifiers as they approach this season’s key match. The team has failed to progress beyond the qualifying rounds in seven of their last nine campaigns, including five consecutive exits. Recent signings such as Kasper Hogh, Camilo Duran, and Mika Baur aim to provide needed firepower. With last year’s defeat to Kairat Almaty still fresh, Celtic enters this matchup with no excuses for underperformance. The game against LASK will be pivotal for the club's ambitions.

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By the Numbers

•Celtic has failed to make it through qualifies seven times in nine years.
•This summer saw Celtic invest heavily in new attacking players.
•Celtic lost to Kairat Almaty in last year's qualifiers.
•Match against LASK is seen as critical for the club's ambitions.
•Team has historically struggled against expected opposition.

Latest Updates

1:04 PMYahoo Sports — The woeful qualifying record Celtic must rectify

What they're saying

"
For Celtic, failure to reach the Champions League this season would be a disaster. Go back further and there were also defeats to Maribor in 2014 and Malmo in 2015, though Brendan Rodgers did buck the trend somewhat by overcoming Hapoel Be'er Sheva in 2016 and Astana in 2017. Across Celtic's past nine Champions League qualifying campaigns, they have failed to make it through on seven occasions.
— Yahoo Sports

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