Celtic suffered one of the most humiliating capitulations in the club's European history on Tuesday night, surrendering a commanding advantage against Austrian side Lask to crash out in extraordinary fashion.
The Scottish champions appeared to have banished memories of last season's continental struggles when captain Callum McGregor opened the scoring after 21 minutes with a low, deflected effort that squirmed past the home goalkeeper. Four goals to the good on aggregate at that point, Celtic looked certain to progress with something to spare.
What followed instead was a stunning reversal. Lask clawed their way back into the tie before half-time and continued their surge after the break, eventually piling on five goals without reply. The Austrians completed their remarkable turnaround with a goal in the 90th minute that forced extra time, compounding Celtic's misery on the night.
Manager Martin O'Neill did not shy away from the scale of the disaster afterward, acknowledging his side should have wrapped up the tie long before Lask's revival took hold. "We should have been out of sight by half-time," O'Neill said. "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. And obviously we conceded, from our viewpoint, not good goals at all. But that's my team and that's my responsibility."
The defeat has reignited scrutiny of Celtic's transfer business, though the criticism this time carries a different flavor than in previous seasons. Unlike the prior campaign, when the club faced accusations of underinvestment before European qualification, Celtic had committed around £23m to four new signings over the summer, with further additions expected. Instead, attention has turned to the club's decision to sell key players Arne Engels and Daizen Maeda before their continental status was secured. The financial fallout could be severe, with estimates suggesting Celtic stand to lose as much as £40m in potential revenue from missing out on the lucrative league phase of the competition.
Former Celtic figures including Chris Sutton, Kasper Schmeichel, Stiliyan Petrov and Neil Lennon were among those quick to criticize the team's showing, despite their own histories of European disappointments while at the club.
McGregor, so influential in the tie's opening moments, offered a blunt assessment of the outcome once the dust had settled. "We got what we deserved," he said. "Now we'll see what people are made of."
The result also carries broader implications for Scottish football's continental reputation, though rival supporters are unlikely to offer much sympathy. Some have framed Celtic's collapse as a form of comeuppance following a title triumph last season that was marred by contentious refereeing decisions and poor fan conduct during the decisive final match against Hearts.
Celtic's immediate focus now shifts to domestic matters, with a home fixture against Falkirk on Saturday offering a chance to regroup. However, few expect that game alone to erase the sting of Tuesday's defeat, which stands as a painful new low point in the club's often turbulent European history.
The manner of the collapse—surrendering a four-goal aggregate cushion to concede five without reply—will likely be remembered as one of the most dramatic capitulations involving a Scottish club on the continental stage in recent memory.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football Daily.