- 1 Celtic vs LASK: Kairat still lingers in the background, and the stakes go well beyond football
- 2 Celtic need to fix an embarrassing European record
- 3 LASK are champions in Austria, but they have been invisible in Europe
- 4 Football prediction Celtic vs LASK
- 5 Before anything else, a quick word on our free picks
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes fast
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Celtic vs LASK: Kairat still lingers in the background, and the stakes go well beyond football 
The first-leg play-off between Celtic and LASK takes place on Wednesday 19 August at 20:00 British time at Celtic Park. The return is set for Tuesday 25 August in Linz, at the same time.
The draw was held on Monday 3 August at UEFA headquarters in Nyon. Celtic were among the seeded sides thanks to their coefficient, but that did not stop them from being handed the home tie first.
Both clubs arrive with the same domestic status. Celtic won the 2025-2026 Scottish title, their 12th Premiership crown, while LASK landed the Austrian championship.
That Austrian triumph is no small thing. LASK finished two points clear of Sturm Graz and added the Austrian Cup as part of a double, only the third time that has happened in their history, with the previous one coming 61 years ago.
The money on offer is huge. The winner reaches the Champions League league phase, while the loser drops into the Europa League, with the gap estimated at around 40 million pounds.
History is weighing heavily on the Scottish side. After two league-phase appearances under Ange Postecoglou in 2022-23 and 2023-24, Celtic slipped back into the qualifiers and have not made it through a round since. Last summer, they went out on penalties to Kairat Almaty after 210 minutes without a goal.
That nightmare is still fresh in the mind. The Scots had the coefficient advantage and still failed to deliver in 90 minutes or extra time.
Celtic need to fix an embarrassing European record 
Celtic’s record against Austrian clubs is poor: 13 matches, 3 wins, 3 draws and 7 defeats. Only one of those wins has come in the 21st century.
That victory arrived late, very late. It was the 2-1 Europa League win over Sturm Graz last October, sealed by Liam Scales and Benjamin Nygren, and it came at the seventh attempt against an Austrian side.
Their domestic campaign, though, has started sharply. Kasper Høgh, signed for around 11 million pounds, hit a hat-trick against Kilmarnock in the league.
That is the key difference from summer 2025. This time, the squad has two forwards who can make an impact at this level, which was not the case against Kairat.
Home advantage remains the Scots’ biggest weapon. Celtic Park has turned plenty of qualifying ties, even when the football itself was patchy.
The admin side adds another wrinkle. UEFA lists had to be submitted by 13 August, with only two more arrivals eligible to be registered up to 23:00 on 18 August, the day before the match.
The crucial point is how Celtic handle the first leg. Playing at home first means they need to build a lead without getting reckless, or they risk replaying the Kairat script a week later.
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LASK are champions in Austria, but they have been invisible in Europe 
LASK go into this play-off with their domestic confidence intact. The Linz club are fresh from a league-and-cup double, something they had not managed for six decades.
Their Austrian title was won by two points over Sturm Graz. The consistency is real, and the numbers back it up.
The continental record tells a very different story. LASK have won only one of their last 14 European matches.
Last season confirmed that in brutal fashion. They finished 35th in the Conference League league phase, the third tier of European competition.
That gap between domestic form and continental output is the central issue in this tie. It pits a side that can dominate at home against one that struggles to carry that level abroad.
The trip to Glasgow does not help. Celtic Park is one of the toughest atmospheres any club can face, especially one used to much smaller grounds.
LASK do still have a route into the tie. Coming away from Scotland with an away goal would change the picture completely before the return in Linz.
Probable Celtic line-up: Not available at time of publication.
Probable LASK line-up: Not available at time of publication.
Football prediction Celtic vs LASK
Our prediction: Celtic to win and under 3.5 goals in the match
LASK have won only once in their last 14 European outings and finished 35th in the Conference League league phase. That does not point to a side ready to go to Celtic Park and take control.
For the Scots, the arrival of Kasper Høgh, already a hat-trick scorer in the league, fixes the biggest problem from last summer: the complete lack of finishing against Kairat. Celtic have enough in attack to score without going all-out.
First-leg qualifiers in Glasgow rarely turn into goal-fests, especially when the home side has to keep one eye on an away return. Celtic should win, but it is unlikely to be a free-for-all.
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