"We got what we deserved. I thought we were passive all night. We actually looked scared to go and win the game." That was Callum McGregor, quoted by skysports.com, after Celtic blew a four-goal aggregate lead against Lask Linz and dropped into the Europa League. The collapse was bad enough on its own. McGregor's assessment made it worse, because captains usually reach for protection after a night like that. He went the other way.
Celtic were 4-0 up on aggregate after McGregor's 21st-minute goal, which should have settled the tie. Instead, Florian Flecker headed home a 90th-minute equaliser to force extra-time, and Samuel Adeniran scored in the 109th minute to put LASK in front on aggregate for the first time.
McGregor's apology and self-criticism
McGregor did not try to dress the night up as a freak collapse or one bad spell. Speaking to skysports.com, he said: "To be honest, I don't think we were that good in the first leg either and we kind of got away with it. But then you're up 3-0 and think you have a chance. When you play like that, you can't have any excuse whatsoever."
That part matters because he was not only reacting to extra-time drama. He was questioning the level of the team across both legs, even after Celtic had built the kind of aggregate cushion that should kill a play-off. It is a harsh line, but a fair one given how the game unravelled from such a commanding position.
He also apologised directly. "We have to suck it up. We apologise to the supporters and to the club because there's no way we should lose that game. Now we have to see what character we have."
There will be noise around wider blame, and some reports have attached Martin O'Neill's name to this side. That point is less clear than the performance itself. McGregor's words are the firmest account of the night, and they leave very little room for anyone in Celtic colours to hide.
LASK's pressure and Celtic's unraveling
The comeback was not built on one lucky break. LASK kept forcing the issue and Celtic never really took control again after going 4-0 up on aggregate. They finished with 40 shots, and 33 of those were on Celtic's goal. When a home side produces that kind of volume, the idea that this was only about one late wobble falls away.
The goals reflected the pressure. M. Usor, Robert Ljubičić and Adeniran all scored for LASK, while Flecker's 90th-minute header dragged the tie into extra-time. Viljami Sinisalo did save an Adeniran penalty moments after the 109th-minute goal, but Celtic still could not recover from the damage.
There was also a costly loose pass from Benjamin Nygren leading to the opener, the kind of mistake that feeds a stadium already pushing for a swing. McGregor's own goal in the 21st minute should have given Celtic calm. Instead, it became the start of a collapse that looked mental as much as tactical by the end.
The bigger concern for Celtic
One bad European night can happen. What makes this one harder for Celtic to shrug off is that it touches an older problem. They went goalless for 210 minutes against Kairat Almaty, and failed to score three of their five penalties in that shootout. McGregor's comments line up with that anxiety under pressure, even if this defeat came in a very different shape.
He has already made 2 appearances this season, so this is not about a captain speaking after months on the fringes. He is central to the side and central to the fallout. A season rating of 7.35 also tells you his criticism was not coming from someone who had been anonymous before this.
McGregor's final line was the right one to leave hanging over Celtic's dressing room: "You can't lose the game by such a big margin and look for excuses elsewhere. This is where we see what people are made of in terms of what we achieve this season." Celtic now go into the Europa League with that verdict attached to them.
FAQ
Why did Callum McGregor apologise after Celtic's collapse against LASK?
McGregor apologised because Celtic let a four-goal aggregate lead disappear and then went out after extra-time. Speaking after the match, he said Celtic were passive, looked scared to go and win the game, and had no excuse whatsoever for losing by such a big margin.
How did LASK turn the tie around against Celtic?
LASK built the comeback through sustained pressure. They finished with 40 shots, including 33 on Celtic's goal, and forced extra-time when Florian Flecker headed in a 90th-minute equaliser. Samuel Adeniran then scored in the 109th minute to put LASK ahead on aggregate for the first time.
Are Celtic definitely being described as Martin O'Neill's team after the LASK defeat?
Some coverage has attached Martin O'Neill's name to this Celtic side, but that point is not settled by the information available here. The clearer story is McGregor's own reaction and Celtic's collapse from 4-0 up on aggregate after his 21st-minute goal.
What happens to Celtic after the Champions League play-off defeat?
Celtic dropped into the Europa League after the collapse against LASK. McGregor framed the defeat as a test of character for the squad, saying they now have to see what character they have after losing a tie they had been leading comfortably.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
