Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has shouldered the blame following a devastating 5-4 aggregate defeat to LASK in the Champions League play-offs. Despite holding a commanding four-goal advantage, the Scottish champions suffered a second-half collapse in Austria that culminated in an extra-time exit.
The defeat at the Raiffeisen Arena marks one of the lowest points in the club’s recent European history, surpassing even last year’s penalty shootout loss to Kairat Almaty at the same stage of the competition. O’Neill was candid about the failure, stating, “I’m responsible for this one,” and acknowledging that the team’s performance offered little sign of a recovery once the momentum shifted.
Reflecting on the magnitude of the loss, the manager drew comparisons to his past experiences. “Naturally it took me a long time to get over the Uefa Cup final in 2003 but this was majorly disappointing,” he admitted. He noted that while the 2003 final was a prestigious occasion, this qualifying match was a tie they should have comfortably navigated.
O’Neill emphasized that the squad remains far from a finished product. “We know that we are a million miles from the finished article. That’s absolutely true. I think we thought that anyway,” he added. The collapse leaves Celtic facing a difficult period of introspection as they process the loss of their significant aggregate lead. The report also notes that with bedlam all around, there was nowhere to hide for Celtic or Martin O’Neill, in the open air of the Raiffeisen Arena.
