LASK vs Celtic: latest team news, predicted XI and match prediction

LASK vs Celtic preview

LASK will host Celtic at the Raiffeisen Arena on Tuesday night for the second leg of their Champions League play-off, with the Scottish champions taking a commanding 3-0 lead into the return fixture.

LASK enjoyed an impressive finish to the 2025/26 Austrian Bundesliga season, winning six of their final nine post-split matches to secure the title. That success earned Dietmar Kühbauer’s side a direct route into the Champions League play-off round.

They also made a perfect start to the new campaign, winning their opening four matches across the Austrian Cup and Bundesliga. However, that unbeaten run came to an abrupt end at Celtic Park as they were beaten 3-0.

Despite the result, LASK created opportunities and finished the first leg with 20 attempts, two big chances and an expected goals figure of 1.58 compared with Celtic’s 0.93. They can also take confidence from their strong home record, having avoided defeat in their last eight competitive matches at the Raiffeisen Arena.

However, their European home form is less encouraging, with LASK failing to win any of their last five matches on home soil in European competition.

Celtic arrive in Austria in excellent form and firmly in control of the tie. Martin O’Neill’s side have won all four of their competitive matches this season, scoring 13 goals while conceding just one.

The Hoops began their league campaign with victories over Dundee and Kilmarnock and also recorded a convincing 4-0 Scottish League Cup win against Dundee United.

Their 3-0 victory over LASK was arguably their biggest result yet. Benjamin Nygren opened the scoring before Camilo Duran struck twice, with all three goals coming from impressive finishes around the edge of the box.

Despite their three-goal advantage, O’Neill will know LASK are capable of causing problems and will want Celtic to remain focused and avoid giving their opponents any hope of a comeback.

Team news

LASK have no new injury concerns ahead of Tuesday’s match. Ramiz Harakate remains unavailable after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Kühbauer could therefore stick with a similar starting XI to the one that featured in Glasgow, particularly after LASK created several promising opportunities despite the final scoreline.

Celtic remain without Jota, who continues to recover from a cruciate ligament injury, but otherwise have a largely fit squad available.

Nygren and Duran will be hoping to continue their excellent goalscoring form, with Kasper Høgh and Yang Hyun-jun also expected to feature in attacking positions.

Possible lineups

LASK: Jungwirth; Mbuyamba, Alemao, Andrade; Jorgensen, Danek, Ljubicic, Horvath, Bello; Usor, Adeniran.

Celtic: Sinisalo; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Tierney; Nygren, McGregor, Baur; Duran, Høgh, Hyun-jun.