Celtic

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Former Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan believes the "minimum" for the club should be qualifying for the Champions League every year.

But have they done enough in the transfer market to make it past play-off opponents LASK?

The signing deadline for this tie came and went on Tuesday night with no further additions, leaving the number of new recruits at four before tonight's first leg at Celtic Park.

"This is going to be a really tough task, LASK are a formidable proposition," says Stephen McGowan, football writer for The Herald.

"Celtic have made decent efforts to try to strengthen the squad in the past week or two. The question you've got in your mind is have they done enough?

"Because I think ideally they would like to have signed a goalkeeper. They'd like to have a back-up left-back. Nothing they can do about Alistair Johnson's injury, but you're just worrying, with Arne Engels having gone, are they a wee bit undercooked?

"If you're a Celtic supporter tonight, there will be a bit of trepidation because the club's record in these play-offs is not good recently."

Celtic have failed in their past five Champions League qualifying attempts - last making it via this route with victory over Astana in 2017 - and Sheridan says the pressure on Martin O'Neill's side is sizeable.

"Celtic would have been doing some some job to be less prepared than than they went into the [Kairat Almaty] game last season," he said.

"I don't think the bar was too high in that regards but they've definitely had a a much better start to the season, a few big signings.

"But if Celtic fail to qualify, straight away it's all going to be the recruitment issues raised again. Engels' replacement, why wasn't that done before he's been sold?

"So much rides on this play-off tie, there's huge pressure on it for everyone at Celtic.

"Celtic should expect to be Champions League every season. I definitely think the minimum should be qualifying for it every year.

"But it's one thing thinking that you should be there and then actually being there every year, which I think has been the issue for for a lot of Celtic fans."

Listen to the full episode of Celtic analysis on the BBC's Scottish football podcast

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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The calamitous Champions League play-off defeat by Kairat Almaty a year ago isn't lingering at the back of Cameron Carter-Vickers' mind as Celtic enter the fray at the same stage this season.

The defender's European experience last season was a difficult one - he ruptured an Achilles tendon against Sturm Graz in October and didn't play for the rest of the campaign.

All water under the bridge as far as Carter-Vickers is concerned as he prepares for Wednesday night's first leg against LASK.

"The reality of it is as a football player, you've got to get over the losses the same way you do the wins," he said.

"When you come down from a big win, you've got to go again the next week so right now it's not really on my mind personally. But we're aware this game does come with massive consequences, so we are ready. "

Celtic kept two clean sheets against the Kazakhstan champions but their failure to score in either leg proved to be their undoing as they were dumped out on penalties.

Carter-Vickers reckons the addition of Denmark striker Kasper Hogh and Colombian forward Camilio Duran, both proven goalscorers at Champions League level, has given the side an extra edge.

"I think last year we struggled to score and maybe create chances and that's probably our downfall last time. So that's something we've reflected upon," he said.

"There's always a boost to the squad when you make new signings. Just the energy that kind of brings to the group always helps. And two of the players (Hogh and Duran) have really the ground running, so that's definitely a positive.

"It feels like we are a good place and we got a bit momentum from the last couple of results so it's a good feeling around the place."

Three wins from three in the Premiership and League Cup have given Celtic a confidence boost but LASK are in a good place too, with full points from their opening three Austrian Bundesliga fixtures and a cup win too.

"I think it'll be a difficult game, they're champions of Austria," added Carter-Vickers.

"They are obviously a good side, we've watched a little bit of them on Tuesday and it looked like a physical side, very well organized with good quality as well, so definitely be a tough, tough tie for us."

It's Champions League qualifying time for Celtic and the stakes could hardly be higher. Can Martin O'Neill's side finally put recent play-off disappointments behind them and get past Austrian champions LASK?

Is the tie really about £40 million, or is European prestige the bigger prize? David Currie is joined by Cillian Sheridan and Stephen McGowan to assess Celtic's start to the season, debate whether recruitment has been completed in time, and examine key concerns in midfield and defence.

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Celtic have made progress in their pursuit of midfield target Niko Sigur but will have to wait for the 22-year-old who is expected to be included by Hadjuk Split as they bid to reach the Conference League. (Daily Record, external)

Celtic are in advanced talks to secure a deal for Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Balazs Toth, with the transfer fee is expected to settle around £4m. (TeamTalk, external)

Celtic might have a renewed chance to sign Gvidas Gineitis, with reports of Red Bull Salzburg's proposed deal for the Torino midfielder stalling. (Glasgow Times, external)

Michel-Ange Balikwisha is on the radar of Elversberg, Basel and Monza, with the Celtic winger not in the plans of manager Martin O'Neill. (Pablo Oliveira on X, external)

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Celtic will have to deal with more mental pressure than LASK Linz in their quest for Champions League qualification, says the Austrian champions' head coach Dietmar Kuhbauer.

The 55-year-old guided LASK to a league and cup double last season and his team have started this campaign with four straight wins.

"We believe in ourselves," he said. "Celtic have a little bit more pressure because everybody knows Celtic.

"We are a small club, but still a good club. But for Celtic, it's more pressure than for us.

"But I don't go into my meeting and tell the guys they [Celtic] have more pressure.

"We have to believe in ourselves. We have 90 minutes and we have to play at the highest level. We don't care if they have more pressure."

Goalkeeper Lukas Jungwirth will tap into the knowledge of new signing Miguel Freckleton, who played in the St Mirren side that beat Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup final last December.

"We already talked with him because maybe he knows a few tricks," he said.

"He told us about the atmosphere. It's a great atmosphere. But we should not be scared about this. It should give us a push to perform even better."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Martin O'Neill has been speaking to the media before Celtic host LASK in the Champions League play-off first leg on Wednesday.

Here are the main lines from the Celtic manager:

• O'Neill says it's unlikely Celtic will sign any players - including a replacement for Arne Engels following his West Ham move - before Tuesday's deadline (23:00 BST).

• The Celtic boss wanted Engels to stay for the play-off but the midfielder "didn't want to play in the matches in case he got injured", which O'Neill says is understandable but disappointing.

• On trying to find a replacement for Engels, he adds: "We're still in the process of trying to do that. We haven't been able to get someone in, in time, to do that. But there are a number of players that we're looking at and hopefully we will by the end of the transfer window."

• For O'Neill the prestige of playing in the Champions League is more important than the money it generates for the club. But he says the cash would enable Celtic to attract more couple before the league stage.

• O'Neill says new midfield arrival Mika Baur will probably start in midfield.

• He confirms there has been interest in Reo Hatate, adding: "But I don't think there's been anything definitive. That may well happen in the next week."

• O'Neill would have no problem if Hatate wanted stay and battle to rediscover the form that made him "one of best midfielders in Scotland" two seasons ago.

• Austrian champions LASK are a "very fine side" and the tie will be "very, very difficult" for Celtic. O'Neill adds: "We've watched them now on numerous occasions. We've had people watching them live. They are very fast up front as well, lots of good players on the side. And they're very, very strong. Physically strong as well."

• O'Neill says a first-leg lead to take to Austria would be "lovely" but it's not "the end of the world" if Celtic don't manage it.

• Celtic are "ready for the challenge" and O'Neill says: "It's up to the players now as much as anything else. I think the quality that we brought in will bear fruit during the course of the season."

• The 74-year-old is excited for his first Champions League tie in more than two decades, saying: "I didn't think last September or October I'd be sitting here thinking about a Champions League game. If I was, I'd certainly be watching it on TV." He adds: "There are challenges in this Champions League. You could get nothing else but excited about it, which is fantastic, especially at my age."

• On drawing Rangers away in the League Cup quarter-finals: "I'm looking forward to it when it comes to it. Naturally, the concentration is totally in these two games. But it is what it is. We're drawn away from home again."

Tino
Fan writer

For Celtic, failure to reach the Champions League this season would be a disaster.

I know that might sound dramatic. But look at the record.

Kairat Almaty last year. Midtjylland in 2021. Ferencvaros in 2020. Cluj in 2019. AEK Athens in 2018.

Five consecutive Champions League qualifying campaigns. Five exits.

Go back further and there were also defeats to Maribor in 2014 and Malmo in 2015, though Brendan Rodgers did buck the trend somewhat by overcoming Hapoel Be'er Sheva in 2016 and Astana in 2017.

Those victories, however, remain the exceptions. Across Celtic's past nine Champions League qualifying campaigns, they have failed to make it through on seven occasions.

Seven out of nine. That isn't bad luck. It isn't a freak result or two. It's a pattern - and an embarrassing one for a club of Celtic's size and resources.

Any team can lose a football match. Upsets happen. Celtic have no divine right to beat anyone.

But when you repeatedly fall against opposition you are expected to overcome, questions have to be asked about preparation, recruitment and ultimately ambition.

Because that's what so much of this comes back to. Celtic have always wanted to be in the Champions League. Every club wants to be there.

But wanting it and demonstrating the ambition required to get there are two very different things.

And that ambition means pushing the boat out, making record signings, paying top dollar both in terms of transfer fees and wages, and fully backing your manager before these qualifiers.

And on far too many occasions Celtic have got that wrong. This summer however - at least to an extent - feels different.

It's not perfect. There are still obvious gaps. Arne Engels has left a significant hole in midfield, while additional cover at both full-back positions and goalkeeper would definitely be welcome.

But Celtic have clearly prioritised attacking quality - and spent heavily to get it. Kasper Hogh, Camilo Duran and Mika Baur give Martin O'Neill significantly more firepower for this tie than Celtic have carried into some previous qualifiers.

Haissem Hassan over time too will have an impact, though the suspicion is this one has come too soon for the Egypt winger.

Last season's failure against Kairat was a painful reminder of what can happen when Celtic enter these games underprepared. This time there can be no excuses.

The more I look at LASK and this tie though, the more confident I am Celtic will get the job done.

They should believe they're the stronger side. And crucially, they should now have the required level of attacking quality to call upon when it matters most.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange, external

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Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate, 28, has turned down transfer interest from Austria, Greece and the United States. The Herald - subscription required, external

Japan international Hatate wants to play in one of Europe's top five leagues. Glasgow Times, external

Celtic have held talks over a potential deal for Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Balazs Toth, with the 27-year-old Hungarian having turned down a new deal at Ewood Park. Sky Sports, external

Former referee Bobby Madden says Celtic's second goal in their 4-0 League Cup win against Dundee United should not have stood after Kasper Hogh appeared to handle before Camilo Duran netted. Daily Record - subscription required, external

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Auston Trusty is leaning into Celtic's "win at all costs" mentality as they try to right the wrongs of last season and navigate the Champions League play-offs.

Celtic face Austrian champions LASK over two legs, having been beaten by Kazakh side Kairat Almaty at the same stage of qualifying last season.

Supporters made their frustrations clear after that result, with Celtic eventually overcoming such unrest to win a league and cup double under Martin O'Neill.

And Trusty says the pressure to win got the best out of the players in last season's run-in.

"At this club, you have to have that mindset," the United States international said. "It's hard to put it into words, I guess it's just winning at all costs and continuing on.

"The Celtic mindset is that winning is everything - putting your heart out, your body on the line, at all costs. Day in, day out trying to improve yourself and improve the team.

"I think those things represent the Celtic way and the Celtic mindset. It all comes down to winning.

"It was disappointing to not get to the Champions League last year but to win the league and put ourselves in position to try to get there this time, that's what you want.

"At Celtic you are always under that pressure, those expectations. You want to play your best football at all times.

"You are thankful you have that environment because a lot of players, you maybe don't play in those atmospheres or where that's the standard. So it's good."

Rangers and Celtic are set for another Ibrox cup showdown, but this time there will be no increased away allocation when they meet in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals. (Daily Record), external

Former Rangers technical director Nils Koppen, now West Ham's director of player recruitment, has praised midfielder Arne Engels after his move from Celtic to the Hammers. (Glasgow Times), external

Sebastian Tounekti has warned LASK that Celtic are ready to put their Champions League demons to bed. (Daily Record), external

Read Monday's Scottish football gossip

We asked for your views after Celtic progressed to the quarter-finals of the Scottish League Cup by scoring four at Dundee United on Saturday.

Here's what some of you said:

Davie: At last a Celtic team I look forward to watching. It's been a while. The new signings have given the full team a lift by the look of it. Two weeks ago I'd have struggled to agree with anyone tipping Celtic for the league, now I'm thinking about another treble.

Liam: We are scoring goals and playing with confidence, but we can't control the midfield because of our options there. New recruits are essential.

Ian: Scoreline was flattering, but Celtic well worth their win. Will need to be tighter in defence otherwise we'll get punished by LASK. Mika Baur looks a good addition. Haissem Hassan looked unsure and nervous.

Patrick: Good goals and a great spirit, which is what was missing last season. A bit concerning Dundee United hit the woodwork 4 times, that could have changed things. We can't let that happen in Europe.

Clem: Cup tie won, so job done. Very sluggish and it showed we need new or good back-up full-backs and a bit more legs in midfield. However, they certainly look better than last season. Coming along nicely, but Wednesday will be a test.

Hajduk Split's Canadian midfielder Niko Sigur has made it clear that he is keen to join Celtic. (Daily Record), external

Read Saturday's Scottish football gossip

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Celtic manager Martin O'Neill: "I thought Dundee United were in the game, they hit the post [twice] before we scored a goal.

"Things like that can change the picture. Overall, I was pleased with a lot of the stuff they produced but there were moments where we were really casual.

"It's a good performance for us considering the last time we were here.

"We have two very difficult matches coming up now in terms of trying to get into the Champions League, the prestige, the finance, everything that goes along with it.

"We will try and be as ready as we possibly can. We are trying to get there, these are big, big games.

"It would be lovely to have had maybe another three games played before then, but it's not the case. We're ready for it, we'll have to be.

"If the support is anything like what they gave in the split last season, it will be extraordinary."

Celtic's strong start to the season continued as they swept past Dundee United to book a place in the League Cup quarter-finals.

Read the match report here.

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