LASK vs Celtic: A Crucial Champions League Showdown in Linz
Three goals down, 90 minutes to fix it. LASK return to the Raiffeisen Arena knowing the margin for error has almost vanished, but at least they arrive with a clean bill of health and a clear idea of who they are.
LASK: full strength, no excuses
Dietmar Kühbauer has no new injuries to hide behind after the bruising first leg at Celtic Park. His squad came through that 3–0 defeat intact, and he can lean on his strongest core for the play-off return.
One key name is still missing. Forward Ramiz Harakaté remains out long term with an ACL tear and will play no part in this tie or any time soon. Beyond that, the Austrian side are as settled as a team in this position can hope to be.
Kühbauer is expected to stay loyal to his structured 3-5-2, the system that has carried LASK through a perfect domestic start. Xavier Mbuyamba, Alemão and Andrés Andrade are set to form the back three again, tasked with shutting down Celtic’s wide threat and giving LASK a platform to build from.
But the scoreboard changes everything. If Celtic strike first or the clock starts to run away from them, LASK will not sit on their shape. Club sources point to a planned tactical jolt after the break: extra forwards, more risk, and a willingness to leave space behind in search of the quick goals that can flip the tie.
At home, in form, and with their season already humming, LASK know this is the night to empty the tank.
Celtic: strong form, stretched at the back
On the other side, Celtic arrive in Austria with a three-goal cushion and a manager juggling late decisions.
Martin O’Neill has a concern at centre-back. Auston Trusty missed the final training session with a stomach illness, leaving Liam Scales ready to step in alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers at the heart of the defence if required. It is hardly ideal timing, but Celtic’s season so far suggests resilience runs through this group.
Full-back is an even tighter squeeze. First-choice right-back Alistair Johnston is ruled out until October with a hamstring injury, so Colby Donovan is set to cover again on the flank. On the opposite side, Kieran Tierney is expected to lend his experience to a makeshift back line that will also shield a relatively fresh face in goal.
Between the posts, Viljami Sinisalo is tipped to start, protected by that patched-together defence. The Finn will walk out behind a team that has barely put a foot wrong this season, yet still feels a little vulnerable in the wide areas.
Celtic’s issues don’t stop at the back. In midfield and attack, O’Neill must do without the suspended Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, while Portuguese winger Jota continues his long recovery from a serious cruciate ligament injury. The creativity and direct running they usually bring will be missed, especially if Celtic need to wrestle back control during any LASK surge.
Even so, the numbers tell a story of dominance. Under O’Neill, Celtic have won all four of their competitive games this season, scoring 13 and conceding just once. They beat Dundee FC 1–0 and Kilmarnock 5–1 in the Premiership, crushed Dundee United 4–0 in the League Cup, then dismantled LASK 3–0 in Glasgow.
They come to Linz not just with a lead, but with momentum.
Form lines: domestic juggernaut vs European reality
LASK’s domestic form has been relentless. Four competitive wins, 16 goals scored, just one conceded. In the Austrian Bundesliga, they swept aside Grazer AK 3–0, Austria Wien 2–0 and SV Ried 4–1. In the Austrian Cup, they ran riot in a 7–0 victory.
Then came Celtic. The 3–0 defeat in the first leg in Glasgow slammed the brakes on their perfect start and exposed the gap in clinical edge at this level. Now they must show that performance was a blip, not a warning.
Celtic’s record is even cleaner. Four played, four won, 13 scored, one conceded. The Scottish champions have not just been winning, they’ve been imposing their will, and the first leg against LASK felt like an extension of that authority.
So the tie arrives at an intriguing crossroads: LASK the domestic steamroller, Celtic the side that has already proved it can punish them when it matters.
Predicted lineups
- LASK Jungwirth; Mbuyamba, Alemao, Andrade; Jorgensen, Danek, Ljubicic, Horvath, Bello; Usor, Adeniran
- Celtic Sinisalo; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Tierney; Nygren, McGregor, Baur; Duran, Hogh, Hyun-Jun
Where to watch
In the UK, the UEFA Champions League play-off second leg between LASK Linz and Celtic will be shown live exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
One side is chasing a miracle, the other is guarding a gateway to the group stage. By the end of the night in Linz, we’ll know which story carries on into Europe’s biggest stage.
