Celtic Dressing Room Rocked After LASK Collapse as Callum McGregor Responds to Martin O’Neill’s Devastating Statement

Celtic suffered one of the most painful nights in their recent European history after throwing away a four-goal aggregate advantage against LASK to crash out of the Champions League.

The Scottish champions entered Tuesday’s second leg in Austria with a commanding 3-0 lead from the first meeting at Celtic Park. Their position became even stronger when captain Callum McGregor found the net in the 21st minute to make it 4-0 on aggregate.

However, what followed was a remarkable collapse.

LASK responded with five goals, eventually securing a 5-1 victory after extra time and progressing 5-4 on aggregate. Samuel Adeniran scored the decisive goal in the 109th minute, sending Celtic into the Europa League instead of the Champions League.

The result has sparked intense criticism around the club, with manager Martin O’Neill accepting responsibility for the defeat.

O’Neill admitted afterwards that Celtic had failed a major test and acknowledged that there was still significant work to be done with the squad.

The Celtic boss described the defeat as extremely disappointing and compared the pain to the disappointment he experienced after losing the UEFA Cup final in 2003. He also stressed that qualification for the Champions League was hugely important financially and in terms of prestige.

“I’m responsible for this one,” O’Neill said after the defeat, while acknowledging that his team came “well and truly short”, particularly during the second half.

McGregor, however, refused to allow the players to hide behind the manager.

The Celtic captain delivered a brutally honest assessment of the performance, admitting that the team had been too passive throughout the game and appeared afraid to take control.

McGregor also insisted that the players had to accept responsibility for what happened rather than blaming O’Neill or looking for excuses elsewhere.

“We got what we deserved,” the midfielder said, while acknowledging that Celtic had not performed well enough and had allowed LASK to take control of the contest.

The captain also admitted that Celtic had benefited from good moments and favourable circumstances during the first leg, despite winning 3-0.

That honesty has added further weight to the growing debate surrounding Celtic’s mentality in crucial European matches.

The defeat is particularly damaging because Celtic appeared to have the tie virtually secured. Even after LASK had scored twice and reduced the deficit, the Scottish side still had opportunities to regain control.

Instead, Florian Flecker’s late equaliser forced extra time before Adeniran completed the extraordinary comeback.

The financial consequences are also significant. Celtic’s failure to reach the Champions League league phase means they miss out on a substantial increase in UEFA revenue, with reports putting the financial blow at more than £20 million.

For O’Neill, the immediate challenge will be rebuilding confidence within a squad that has suffered a devastating psychological blow.

McGregor has already called for the players to accept the criticism and respond on the pitch. The captain’s message was clear: Celtic cannot allow the defeat to become an excuse for further setbacks.

The club must now regroup quickly, with the Europa League becoming their European destination and domestic football providing the opportunity to restore confidence.

But the collapse against LASK is unlikely to be forgotten quickly.

Celtic had a four-goal aggregate advantage, scored first in Austria and still somehow ended the night on the wrong side of a 5-1 scoreline.

For a club with Champions League ambitions, it was a collapse that exposed serious questions about mentality, squad depth and game management—and both O’Neill and McGregor now face the difficult task of ensuring it does not define Celtic’s season.