Celtic Host LASK Linz in Champions League Playoff

Celtic will host Austrian champions LASK Linz at a sold-out Celtic Park on Wednesday, August 19, in the first leg of their crucial UEFA Champions League playoff tie. The match, kicking off at 8pm, represents a decisive step for both clubs as they seek to enter the lucrative league stage of Europe’s premier competition.

Both teams enter the encounter in flawless domestic form. Celtic have won all three of their opening matches in the Scottish Premiership and League Cup, scoring ten goals. Their perfect start follows a successful 2025-26 campaign where they secured a league and cup double, culminating in a final-day Premiership title win. Similarly, LASK won the Austrian Bundesliga last season for the first time since 1965. Under manager Dietmar Kuhbauer, they have also begun the new season with four consecutive victories across all competitions, demonstrating potent attacking form with 16 goals scored.

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill acknowledges the challenge posed by the Austrian side. “They’re a very fine side, they’re very, very strong,” O’Neill said. The tie is a high-stakes rematch of last season’s playoff round, which Celtic exited after a loss to Kairat Almaty, denying them...