Celtic captain Callum McGregor expressed his disappointment after the team suffered a shocking collapse in the Champions League play-off against LASK. After leading 4-0 on aggregate, McGregor struck from 18 yards in the 21st minute, but Celtic ultimately lost 5-1 on the night after extra time, resulting in their exit from the Champions League and a financial hit of at least £20 million.

In his post-match comments to Amazon Prime, McGregor stated, "We got what we deserved. I thought we were so passive. All night. We actually looked scared to go and win the game."

He acknowledged the psychological impact of being 3-0 up, stating:

You think you’ve got a real chance but when you play like that you can’t have any excuse whatsoever. We have to suck it up, apologise to the supporters and the club because there is no way that we should lose that game.

McGregor recognized a sense of "nervousness" among the players and emphasized the need for the team to come together, saying, "When you play like that and you’re so passive, then you can’t have any excuse, and that’s on us."

Martin O’Neill, former Celtic manager, also reflected on the defeat, calling it one of his most painful nights. He lamented missed opportunities and poor defensive play, stating, "We should have been out of sight by half-time."

O’Neill noted that while the squad faced tough competition, they should have been able to secure a win, emphasizing, "These are tough games...but it felt like a Champions League game. We should have been able to have seen it through."

The defeat adds to a troubling trend for Celtic in Champions League qualifying, raising questions about the squad's readiness and strength as they move forward.