Martin O’Neill has admitted Celtic’s Champions League qualifying collapse from 4-0 up ranks as one of his most painful nights as the club’s manager. Celtic held a four-goal aggregate lead against Lask on Tuesday when Callum McGregor scored in the 21st minute in Austria, building on a 3-0 first-leg victory, and appeared to be cruising into the league stage. But they lost 5-1 on the night after extra time to go out in extraordinary fashion.
Defeat sends Celtic into the Europa League and delivers a damaging financial blow that will cost the club at least £20m. O’Neill has overseen more than 300 games as the club’s manager and said it was one of the most painful. We scored a goal, which was great, we missed two great, great opportunities.
And then we give them a lifeline just before half-time and then one just after it. And they come roaring back. But that’s my team and that’s my responsibility.” Asked whether his squad was strong enough, O’Neill said: “These are tough games.
And it might only be a Champions League qualifying game, but it felt like a Champions League game. I thought they were a fine side. We should have been able to have seen it through.
Talking about the squad, that’s for another day.” McGregor, the captain, accepted there were no excuses. We actually looked scared to go and win the game, and when you are 3-0 up it’s psychological. We scored at good times and kind of got away with it.
You go 3-0 and you think you’ve got a real chance but when you play like that you can’t have any excuse whatsoever.
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