Celtic face LASK as O'Neill eyes Champions League return
Celtic host LASK Linz at Celtic Park on Wednesday (20:00 BST) in the first leg of their Champions League play-off, with Martin O'Neill aiming to erase last season's painful Kairat Almaty exit and restore the club to Europe's elite. The tie is live on TNT Sports 1 and BBC Sounds.
Almost exactly a year after a penalty shoot-out defeat in Kazakhstan denied Celtic Champions League qualification, the Scottish champions open a two-legged celtic lask tie against Austrian Bundesliga winners LASK. For O'Neill, who guided Celtic to a league and cup double after Brendan Rodgers' messy exit, the fixture is another surreal turn in a whirlwind 12 months.
Key Takeaways
- Celtic vs LASK kicks off at Celtic Park on 19 August at 20:00 BST in the Champions League play-off first leg.
- O'Neill wants his squad to banish memories of last year's Kairat Almaty penalty shoot-out defeat.
- New attackers Kasper Hogh and Camilo Duran scored 10 Champions League goals between them last term.
- LASK are unbeaten in 12 matches and have won their last six, scoring 21 and conceding two.
- Celtic miss Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain through suspension and Alistair Johnston through injury.
Why does the Kairat defeat still haunt Celtic?
Last August, Celtic's Champions League hopes collapsed after a goalless home draw and a turgid stalemate in Almaty ended in a penalty shoot-out loss. Chants of "sack the board" rang around Celtic Park during the first leg, and Rodgers later compared his squad to having too many Honda Civics and not enough Ferraris.
His departure followed within days. Ten months on, O'Neill has been handed what he calls "Champions League-proven supercars" in attack, but the players who remain may still feel they owe the club a better outcome this time.
Who are the key players for Celtic vs LASK?
Summer arrivals Hogh and Camilo Duran netted 10 goals between them in last season's Champions League proper and have started brightly. With Arne Engels sold to West Ham and Oxlade-Chamberlain suspended, 22-year-old midfielder Mika Baur is expected to start after impressing off the bench in Saturday's 4-0 win at Dundee United.
Right-back Johnston is sidelined with a hamstring injury. O'Neill says new signings are unlikely before Tuesday's transfer deadline, leaving Celtic potentially lighter in midfield for a tie that looks tougher than their early domestic fixtures.
What threat does LASK pose at Celtic Park?
LASK ended a 61-year wait to win the Austrian title for a second time last season, finishing two points clear of Sturm Graz. They are unbeaten in 12 matches, winning 10, and have scored 16 goals in four victories to open this campaign.
Striker Samuel Adeniran and midfielder Christoph Lang have already shared 11 of those goals. Nigerian forward Moses Usor, who scored 12 league goals last season, has netted in his last two appearances. Former St Mirren defender Miguel Freckleton is also in their squad.
How can fans watch Celtic vs LASK?
The match kicks off at 20:00 BST on Wednesday 19 August at Celtic Park. TNT Sports 1 are broadcasting live in the UK, while BBC Sounds carries live commentary and the BBC Sport website provides text updates.
Celtic have won their last six matches in all competitions, scoring 19 and conceding five. LASK mirror that form with six straight wins. For more offbeat sports stories from around the globe, browse our Bizarre World section.