Beneath the open sky of the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz, with chaos erupting around him, Martin O'Neill faced the full weight of one of Celtic's most catastrophic European collapses. The Scottish champions had surrendered a commanding position and tumbled out of the Champions League play-offs in stunning fashion.
Celtic's elimination came after a 5-4 aggregate defeat to LASK following extra time, a reversal so complete it overshadowed even their penalty loss to Kairat Almaty at this stage twelve months earlier. Having established a 4-0 aggregate advantage after winning the first leg 3-0 in Glasgow with Camilo Durán scoring twice in front of 55,882 supporters, O'Neill's side imploded in the second half of the return fixture, conceding five goals in a performance that left little room for excuses.
When confronted by journalists after the final whistle, the Celtic manager did not deflect or seek refuge in circumstance.
"I'm responsible for this one," he said. "Without a doubt. Naturally it took me a long time to get over the Uefa Cup final in 2003 but this was majorly disappointing. In the context of things, one was a final which it would have been terrific to win, this was a qualifying game which we should have been able to get through. We know that we are a million miles from the finished article. That's absolutely true. I think we thought that anyway."
O'Neill had not managed in the Champions League for 22 years before this tie, adding weight to the magnitude of the occasion and the scale of the setback. His predecessor Brendan Rodgers had departed after the Kairat loss a year earlier, and O'Neill had spent the intervening months rebuilding stability at Celtic Park, guiding the club to a domestic double last season despite the upheaval surrounding the failed appointment of Wilfried Nancy.
How did the collapse unfold?
Before the second leg, O'Neill had stated that Celtic would not "sit in and defend" their lead and expected LASK to apply sustained pressure. That tactical approach proved disastrous. Despite taking the lead early in the match, Celtic's passive approach in the opening period gave way to complete capitulation after the interval, with LASK's attacking intensity overwhelming a fragile Celtic defence.
Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon, observing from the commentary position, offered a blunt assessment of what unfolded.
"It looked to me as if Celtic were exhausted. Fragile in duels. It only looked like there would be one winner. They battered Celtic tonight, physically and on the football side. It could have been more."
What did the players say?
Celtic captain Callum McGregor took personal responsibility alongside his manager, acknowledging that the squad had failed to meet the standards expected of a club of Celtic's stature.
"We got what we deserved. We were passive all night. We looked scared to go and win the game. I didn't think we were that good in the first leg either. We scored at good times and got away with it. We have to suck it up. We apologise to our supporters and the club because there's no way we should lose that game."
McGregor continued with a stark warning about the character test ahead.
"It's as much on the players as everyone else. You can't look for excuses elsewhere. You'll now see what people are made of. When you play like that you can't have any excuses whatsoever. When you go 1-0 up in the game and it still doesn't settle you, you can't have any excuse and that's on us. You fall at a big hurdle and these questions [on whether the squad are ready] are going to be asked. You can't lose by that margin then look for excuses elsewhere. This is what it's like to play at Celtic. You have to bounce back, you have to show a reaction and that's what Celtic are all about."
Former Celtic midfielder Stiliyan Petrov echoed the sentiment of collective responsibility.
"Everyone [is to blame]. They are all in it together. A big club like Celtic should be able to hold that out."
Scott Brown, the former Celtic captain, acknowledged LASK's superior performance while expressing sympathy for the players involved.
"It was a fantastic start, you go 1-0 up, but that seems like forever ago. Now they've crashed out the Champions League and conceded five goals. LASK outran Celtic in a couple of areas, the two up front were strong, solid and willing runners. LASK deserve to go through with that performance. I feel for the lads because I've been in that situation as well."
What are the financial and sporting consequences?
The elimination carries severe implications for Celtic's summer transfer strategy and the club's financial position.
"The qualification for the Champions League is major, it's major in every aspect," O'Neill reflected. "Financially, for prestige, but we have to pick ourselves up. That's my responsibility again to do that. I think I said last week that if you could qualify for the Champions League there would be players wanting to come on that basis. That's not going to be the case but we'll see. Tonight we came up well and truly short, particularly in the second half."
The loss of Champions League revenue and the prestige associated with qualification will reshape Celtic's recruitment plans during the remainder of the transfer window. Celtic will now compete in the Europa League, with their fixtures to be determined when the draw takes place on Thursday, 27 August.
What happens next for Celtic?
The immediate focus for O'Neill and his squad shifts to regrouping and preparing for European football at a lower tier than anticipated. The manager will need to stabilise morale and demonstrate that the collapse in Austria represents an aberration rather than a reflection of the squad's true capability. The domestic season looms as the primary focus, with Celtic seeking to maintain their position as Scottish champions while navigating the disappointment of a Champions League exit that few observers had anticipated given their commanding first-leg performance.
Key Facts:
- Celtic lost 5-4 on aggregate to LASK after leading 4-0, with the second leg ending 5-1 following extra time in Linz
- The first leg victory in Glasgow saw Camilo Durán score twice in a 3-0 win before 55,882 supporters
- O'Neill had not managed in the Champions League for 22 years before this tie
- Celtic will compete in the Europa League draw on Thursday, 27 August
- The loss of Champions League qualification will significantly impact the club's transfer strategy and financial position
