- Celtic are on a two-game winning streak, having beaten Dundee FC 1-0 at home and Kilmarnock 5-1 away.
- LASK Linz are in excellent form as well, having won four games and lost one of their last five, including a 3-0 home win over Grazer AK 1902 and a 2-0 away win over FK Austria Wien in the Bundesliga 2026/2027.
Celtic have to win this one
Celtic FC are the clear favourites for this UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026 play-off at 57/100, with LASK Linz at 23/5 and the draw at 29/10. With a league-phase place, the momentum of European football and big, big money at stake, this game is a big deal and Celtic have to find a way to win it.
Martin O'Neill has been playing with the handbrake off of late, with Celtic playing a control possession game with a 4-2-3-1 hybrid or 4-3-3 system with plenty of width. The Hoops have been pressing high and pinning opponents back, but if LASK can break the first line of the press, then there could be holes to exploit.
Dietmar Kuehbauer's men have been in a groove of late, with a direct, vertical game, a high-tempo approach and an aggressive press which hunts turnovers. Their back-three and wing-backs should make them dangerous in the transitions, which will be plentiful against a Celtic team that likes to push men forward.
LASK can hurt the Hoops
Across all competitions, Celtic have won six, drawn three and lost just one of their last ten games, a steady run of results that shows that they are performing at a winning level. They'll edge this one, but LASK's firepower away from home will keep this alive.
Camilo Duran has been a great outlet for Celtic, scoring three of their ten goals in the last five games. LASK's Christoph Lang has been their sharpest edge, netting four of their ten in the same period.
LASK have won seven and lost three of their last ten in all competitions, a run which is a little too good to be true. They've stumbled a few more times than the odds indicate they will here, but we're going for a Celtic win and over 2.5 goals, as well as both teams to score - yes, at a slightly worse price.
