[REVISION HISTORY]

LASK secures Champions League spot after comeback vs Celtic

Updated 25 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-26 10:10 UTC → 2026-08-26 13:41 UTC · added ~~removed~~

LASK Linz completed a historic comeback in the UEFA Champions League qualifying playoffs, defeating Celtic Glasgow 5-1 at the Raiffeisen Arena to secure their first-ever appearance in the tournament's league phase. After losing the first leg 3-0 at Celtic Park on August 19, 2026, the Austrian side staged a dramatic turnaround in the second leg on August 24. Although Celtic took an early lead through Callum McGregor in the 21st minute—extending their aggregate lead to 4-0—LASK responded via Moses Usor in the 32nd minute. The momentum shifted decisively in the second half with goals from Robert Ljubičić and Samuel Adeniran. Florian Flecker scored in the 90th minute to force the match into extra time. During the extra period, Samuel Adeniran scored his second goal of the night in the 109th minute to finalize the 5-1 victory. With a ~~4-5~~ 5-4 aggregate win, LASK progresses to the Champions League league stage, while Celtic is relegated to the Europa League. Following the defeat, Celtic manager Martin O'Neill expressed deep disappointment, accepting responsibility for the result. Team captain Callum McGregor criticized the squad's lack of will to win, describing the performance as “self-inflicted” and noting the team’s passivity and that they appeared “scared to go and win the game.” Media reports characterized the performance harshly; the BBC noted that the team appeared to “run away in fear” after losing their significant aggregate lead. The club’s exit has created significant financial uncertainty. The elimination is estimated to result in losses of at least £20 million, creating setbacks for player recruitment, including the potential transfer of Hungarian goalkeeper Balázs Tóth from Blackburn Rovers.

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