Celtic eliminated by LASK: Martin O'Neill assumes the
By OnzeActu · · 4 min read
Four-time Scottish champion Celtic suffered a surprising elimination in the Champions League play-offs against LASK, losing 5-4 in both games despite a four-goal advantage. Martin O'Neill takes full responsibility for this debacle and admits that his team still needs to make progress. After a controlled first period, the Scots were unable to react to the Austrian upsurge. Failure deprives the club of a precious financial windfall and raises the question of the future.
According to Bbc.
Background
Martin O'Neill, as Celtic's coach, took responsibility for this elimination and acknowledged that the team is still far from its full potential. His experience and knowledge of European football will be crucial in guiding Celtic in the upcoming competitions, as the club seeks to regain its place among the Champions League clubs.
Why it matters
The elimination of Celtic by LASK in the Champions League play-offs marks a difficult turning point for the Scottish club, which had high ambitions for this season. This defeat, against the backdrop of a spectacular Austrian comeback, raises questions about the team's preparation and resilience, especially after a previous season already marked by an early elimination. In addition to the sporting impact, this situation has
significant financial implications, with Celtic missing a crucial revenue opportunity related to the group stage.
Key points
- Celtic eliminated by LASK: Martin O'Neill assumes the.
- Four-time Scottish champion Celtic suffered a surprising elimination in the Champions League play-offs against LASK, losing 5-4 in both games despite a four-goal advantage.
- LASK v Celtic: Martin O'Neill takes responsibility - BBC Sport.
In the boiling cauldron of the Raiffeisen Arena, Celtic experienced one of the darkest nights in its European history, losing to LASK in the Champions League play-offs. While the Scots led by four goals over both games, they collapsed in the second half to finally lose 5-4 to the cumulative score, after a fatal overtime.
Celtic coach Martin O'Neill did not seek to discard at the final whistle. Lucid, he said, “I take responsibility for what happened tonight, without a doubt. We are still light years away from our full potential." For the former coach, the defeat is all the more significant as it deprives the club of a qualification in the group stage, a goal that is both sporting and financial primordial for a team of the calibre of
Celtic.
The scenario is all the more cruel as, last year, the fans had already experienced a premature elimination in the play-offs, this time against Kairat Almaty, but under another direction. As soon as they recover from this episode, they see their team collapse again even though the qualification seemed to have been acquired.
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On the dressing room side, Captain Callum McGregor did not hide his disappointment, believing that the team had been "passive all evening" and that no one could find an excuse. “It's up to us to take this fall. We need to apologize to the club and the fans. We have no right to lose like that.”
This disillusionment was shared by former Celtic executives. On the BBC, Scott Brown highlighted the physical and tactical superiority of LASK, while at Amazon Prime, Neil Lennon noted the physical fragility of the Scots in the face of the Austrian impact. For Stiliyan Petrov, the responsibility is collective: “At Celtic, this type of scenario should not happen.”
Disillusioned and weakened, Celtic players must now bounce back. In addition to the defeat, the absence of the Champions League deprives them of an essential financial windfall and could impact the end of the transfer window, Martin O’Neill having admitted that some transfers depended on qualification. For now, the club must digest this failure and work, as the manager recalled, to rebuild a team capable of meeting European requirements. The challenge is to
size for the rest of the season.
Frequently asked questions
What was the final score of the match between Celtic and Lask?
Celtic lost 5-4 in the cumulative score against LASK after an extension.
How does this defeat impact Celtic's Champions League ranking?
This defeat eliminated Celtic from the Champions League, depriving them of a group stage qualification.
Who took responsibility for Celtic's defeat against LASK?
Celtic coach Martin O'Neill took responsibility for the loss.
What is Celtic's next game after this elimination?
The article does not mention Celtic's next game after this elimination.
How did Celtic players react after the defeat against LASK?
Captain Callum McGregor expressed his disappointment, saying the team had to take responsibility for its downfall and apologize to the fans.