Celtic’s Champions League dream ended in devastating fashion as LASK produced one of the greatest comebacks in recent European football, overturning a four-goal aggregate deficit to eliminate the Scottish giants with a dramatic 5–1 victory after extra time in Austria. The incredible turnaround sent shockwaves across Europe and left Celtic fans heartbroken after what looked like an unassailable lead disappeared before their eyes.
Speaking to journalists in his post-match interview, LASK manager Dietmar Kühbauer could not hide his pride after watching his players write history. The Austrian coach praised his squad’s courage, intensity, and belief, insisting that they never stopped believing they could complete the impossible.
“Celtic are a good team, but football is about finding weaknesses and attacking them. My players were fearless tonight, and they deserved every bit of this victory.”
Kühbauer described the atmosphere inside the Raiffeisen Arena as “unbelievable,” saying the crowd gave his team extra energy every time they pushed forward. According to him, LASK refused to accept defeat even after Callum McGregor’s early goal appeared to put Celtic 4–0 ahead on aggregate. Instead, his players responded with relentless pressing and aggressive attacking football that completely changed the game.
The LASK boss revealed that halftime became the biggest turning point of the night. He explained that his coaching staff had already noticed two areas where Celtic were beginning to lose control, and he challenged his players to attack those spaces with even greater intensity.
That was when Kühbauer delivered the statement that immediately grabbed attention.
“At halftime, I told my players exactly where the opportunities were. We had identified two Celtic players who were struggling to cope with our pressure, and I asked the team to attack those areas over and over again.”
Kühbauer claimed those players were Benjamin Nygren and Luke McCowan.
The LASK manager suggested that Nygren struggled to keep possession under pressure, while McCowan failed to provide enough protection in midfield whenever LASK drove forward with pace. According to Kühbauer, those two positions became the gateway that allowed his team to dominate the second half and extra time.
“When we pressed Benjamin Nygren, we forced mistakes. When we attacked Luke McCowan’s area, we found space. That changed everything for us.”
The coach admitted he was surprised by how perfectly his players carried out the tactical instructions.
“I told them, ‘Keep attacking those spaces. Don’t stop.’ They executed the plan exactly as we discussed. Sometimes you give instructions, but tonight they followed every detail perfectly.”
LASK’s response after the break was ruthless. They attacked with confidence, won second balls, and poured forward wave after wave until Celtic’s defence completely collapsed. Every goal increased the pressure on the visitors, while belief inside the stadium continued to grow.
Kühbauer reserved special praise for his own players, saying their mentality deserved enormous credit.
“People will remember the goals, but I will remember the courage. They believed when nobody else believed. They fought for every ball, every tackle, every opportunity.”
The LASK coach said this victory was not built on luck but on preparation, discipline, and the willingness to exploit every weakness they found during the match.
For Celtic, however, the night quickly became a nightmare. A tie that seemed completely under control turned into one of the club’s most painful European collapses. Fans watched helplessly as LASK scored five times and completed a comeback that few thought was possible.
Kühbauer finished the interview with one final message that is already being widely discussed among supporters.
“Celtic are a very good team, but tonight we showed that even great teams can be beaten when you expose their weak moments and believe until the final whistle.”
LASK celebrated a historic qualification, while Celtic were left to reflect on a collapse that will be remembered for years after surrendering a commanding aggregate lead in dramatic fashion.
