"I think we are on the right path," Sebastian Tounekti said as Celtic prepare for their Champions League qualifier against Lask Linz. The forward's message was confidence, but he also made clear that the tie will not be straightforward. Celtic lost to Kairat Almaty in the Champions League qualifiers last season, and Tounekti is framing this week as a chance to move on from that setback.
Tounekti's case for Celtic
Tounekti said the squad are strong, hungry and still improving. "I wasn't here, unfortunately, last year. I know the boys are really hungry to play in the Champions League. Now I also feel like the flow is good at the moment. We just have to keep going and improving. I'm confident that we will do well," he said. He also added: "When I came to Celtic, it was one of the things I was looking to play for. I feel like Celtic should be in a competition like this."
The early season numbers back some of that confidence. Celtic have scored 10 goals in their opening three domestic matches, and they have won all of their last seven competitive home fixtures. That is a decent platform before a qualifier at Celtic Park, especially with Tounekti still easing into things. He has played only 45 league minutes for Celtic and has made two Premiership appearances.
Lask's warning signs
The other side of the tie is harder to wave away. LASK have scored 16 goals in their first four 2026-27 matches and conceded only once, which is a strong start by any measure. They beat SC Kalsdorf 7-0 and SV Ried 4-1 in that run, so Celtic are not facing a side short on confidence or cutting edge.
Tounekti's comments are still the main story here, though. He is not talking like someone treating this as a routine qualifier, and Celtic's own start gives him grounds to sound upbeat. The next step is the first leg, where their home run and early scoring form meet a LASK side that has started fast and conceded very little.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
