Celtic Prepare for Key Clash Against LASK in Champions League
Celtic head to Austria on Tuesday night with the scoreline – and the stakes – firmly in their favour. A 3-0 first-leg win at a raucous Parkhead has them within touching distance of the UEFA Champions League league phase, but LASK’s home fortress and the glow of their first Austrian Bundesliga title in 61 years mean this is no lap of honour.
One foot is in the door. The other still has work to do.
Martin O’Neill’s side look sharper, deeper and far more streetwise than the group that stumbled in Europe last season. Recruitment has been targeted rather than scattergun, quality over quantity, and the early returns across all competitions have turned them into heavy favourites against Die Laskler – even on Austrian soil. Qualify, and the board are ready to spend again. First, they have to finish the job.
Sinisalo’s audition on the big stage
Between the posts, Viljami Sinisalo has quietly turned an injury crisis into an opportunity. With Kasper Schmeichel sidelined since earlier this year, the Finn has stepped up as first choice and barely flinched. Another calm, commanding display here would strengthen his grip on the gloves, even as the club continue to scan the market for a new keeper.
In front of him, O’Neill is expected to keep faith with the back four that smothered LASK in Glasgow. Colby Donovan should continue at right-back, a straightforward call with Alistair Johnston ruled out until October. Inside, the USMNT partnership of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty has given Celtic a rugged, authoritative core. They’ve been headstrong and aggressive, exactly what is required away from home in Europe.
On the left, Kieran Tierney remains untouchable. His blend of bite, timing and delivery from deep makes him irreplaceable in this system, a constant outlet as well as a reliable defender. Liam Scales offers cover from the bench, capable of slotting in both centrally and at left-back if O’Neill needs to reshuffle late on.
A new look in the middle
The engine room has a fresh face. Mika Baur, brought in as the successor to Arne Engels, is set to anchor midfield from deep. The German playmaker is expected to form a double pivot with captain Callum McGregor, giving Celtic both control on the ball and structure without it. If the tie becomes stretched, O’Neill has options to change the rhythm.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Luke McCowan and Reo Hatate are all likely candidates to be unleashed in the second half, either to inject legs and creativity or simply to see the game out with composure and experience.
Higher up, Benjamin Nygren is in the kind of form managers dream about. He scored and assisted in the first leg against LASK, and his confidence is surging. On the opposite flank, Yang Hyun-jun is still rough around the edges, his finishing and final ball not yet fully polished, but his relentless pressing and work rate make him invaluable in a tie where Celtic cannot afford to sit off. That energy should keep him ahead of Sebastian Tounekti in the pecking order for now.
O’Neill can still turn to Tounekti, veteran James Forrest or big-money signing Haissem Hassan from the bench if the game demands fresh width or a different profile out wide.
Duran’s sacrifice, Høgh’s stage
Up front, the dynamic is clear. Camilo Duran has given up his preferred No 9 role to make room for Kasper Høgh through the middle, yet his response has been emphatic. Drifting from a deeper or wider starting position, he struck twice in the first leg and looks anything but marginalised.
Høgh, meanwhile, carries the responsibility of leading the line in a hostile away environment, with Duran and Nygren buzzing around him and Yang harrying from the flank. If Celtic manage the moments, keep their nerve and trust the structure that has brought them this far, that 3-0 cushion should be enough.
But this is Europe. This is a champion of Austria, finally back on top after six decades of waiting. Celtic know exactly what kind of storm they are walking into – and exactly what kind of statement it would be to walk out of it with a place in the league phase secured.
