Story perspectives

Celtic eliminated from Champions League after 5-1 extra-time loss

8/26/2026

Summary

Celtic Collapse

Celtic lost 5-1 after extra time, turning a 5-4 aggregate win into Champions League elimination.
They entered the second leg with a four-goal aggregate lead after Callum McGregor’s early strike.
Manager Martin O’Neill called the collapse “majorly disappointing” and accepted full responsibility.
Captain Callum McGregor apologized, saying the team gave no excuses for the loss.
Missing Champions League qualification cost Celtic about £40 million, including a £20 million direct financial blow.

Summary

LASK Qualifies

LASK Linz secured its first UEFA Champions League group-stage spot after overturning a 4-0 first-leg deficit.
The 5-4 aggregate win set a record for the largest comeback in Champions League qualifying playoffs.
LASK joined Como and Sabah as the third debutant club in this season’s group phase.
American striker Samuel Adeniran scored the decisive extra-time goal.
Adeniran later missed a penalty in the same match.

History

Historical Context

Founded in 1892 after a split with Everton, Liverpool built a legacy of domestic and European success, winning six European Cups. In the 2005 UEFA Champions League final, Rafael Benítez’s side erased a 3-0 halftime deficit against AC Milan in Istanbul, forcing a 3-3 draw and prevailing 3-2 on penalties, a comeback that epitomizes the club’s historic resilience.

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Celtic Collapse

Celtic lost 5-1 after extra time, turning a 5-4 aggregate win into Champions League elimination.
They entered the second leg with a four-goal aggregate lead after Callum McGregor’s early strike.
Manager Martin O’Neill called the collapse “majorly disappointing” and accepted full responsibility.
Captain Callum McGregor apologized, saying the team gave no excuses for the loss.
Missing Champions League qualification cost Celtic about £40 million, including a £20 million direct financial blow.

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