Celtic's Champions League ambitions ended in extraordinary and humiliating fashion as they surrendered a 4-0 aggregate lead to LASK, losing 5-1 on the night after extra time in Linz on Tuesday. The defeat means Celtic drop into the Europa League and face a financial hit estimated at a minimum of £20million.
Having won the first leg 3-0 in Glasgow, Celtic appeared to have all but sealed their passage when captain Callum McGregor struck from 18 yards in the 21st minute to make it 4-0 on aggregate. But what followed was one of the most spectacular collapses in the club's European history, as LASK responded with relentless intensity to overturn the deficit and complete a stunning comeback.
LASK pulled a goal back just before half-time and added another shortly after the restart, rattling a Celtic side that suddenly looked shorn of composure. Auston Trusty was dispossessed for the second goal, and further Celtic errors compounded the unravelling. A mistake from Benjamin Nygren and later one from Luke McCowan both proved costly as LASK piled on the pressure, eventually forcing extra time before completing the job with a fifth goal in the closing stages. The Austrian side also missed a late penalty that would have made it 6-1.
By the end, Celtic had failed to register a single shot on target in either half of extra time, having been outshot heavily across the tie. Manager Martin O'Neill was forced into five substitutions in a desperate 12-minute spell but could not stem the tide as his side wilted under sustained LASK pressure.
Speaking after the match, McGregor did not shy away from criticising his own teammates, describing the performance as spineless and lacking urgency even while holding a commanding lead. "We got what we deserved," he told Amazon Prime. "I thought we were so passive. All night. We actually looked scared to go and win the game, and when you are 3-0 up it's psychological."
The Celtic skipper also questioned the team's overall level of performance across both legs, suggesting the opening victory had flattered his side. "To be honest I didn't think we were that good in the first leg either. We scored at good times and kind of got away with it. You go 3-0 and you think you've got a real chance but when you play like that you can't have any excuse whatsoever."
McGregor called for accountability within the squad going forward. "We have to suck it up, apologise to the supporters and the club because there is no way that we should lose that game," he said. "We've got to stick together, we've got to suck it up, and now you'll see what kind of characters are in there."
When pressed on whether the squad simply wasn't strong enough for this level of competition, McGregor conceded there was little room for excuses. "It's as much on the players as anything else to be honest. You can't lose that game by such a big margin and then start looking for excuses elsewhere. We have to accept that."
O'Neill, who has taken charge of more than 300 matches for Celtic, described the loss as among the most painful nights of his tenure. "I would say absolutely, yes," he said. "I'd put it down before the disappointment of losing the Uefa Cup final in 2003, but it's so, so disappointing."
The veteran manager pointed to missed opportunities and soft goals conceded as key factors in the collapse. "We should have been out of sight by half-time. We scored a goal, which was great, we missed two great, great opportunities. And then we give them a lifeline just before half-time and then one just after it. And they come roaring back," he explained, before accepting ultimate responsibility. "That's my team and that's my responsibility."
Asked whether his squad possessed sufficient depth and quality for the rigours of Champions League qualification, O'Neill acknowledged the difficulty of the test LASK posed but deferred a fuller assessment. "I thought they were a fine side. But that doesn't matter. We should have been able to have seen it through. And we didn't do. Talking about the squad, that's for another day."
The collapse extends a troubled recent history for Celtic in continental competition, adding another chapter to a run of qualifying setbacks in recent seasons. Attention now turns to how the club responds in the transfer market and on the pitch as they regroup for a Europa League campaign instead.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport, The Independent, and The Guardian.