Celtic

We asked for your views after Celtic took a firm grip of their Champions League play-off with a 3-0 first-leg win over LASK at Parkhead.

Here are some of your comments:

Gavin: Superb going forward, solid in midfield but far too open at the back. We need more back-up and we will need to score in the away game. Overall they are a new team starting to knit together.

Brandon: Easily one of the best European nights in a while at Celtic Park, what an atmosphere!

Gordy: Fantastic performance and result, still a bit lax in defence at times but we are starting to build an exciting team. Camilo Duran stole the show with his goals and display, but the performance of Kasper Hogh was vital as he was the link from defence to attack and kept both centre-halves busy all night. Hopefully get the job done next week and then a few more signings, magnificent European night.

John: What a fantastic result. Going forward we looked very good and could have scored more. The result could have easily ended 3-3 and we would have had no complaints. LASK are a very good team also. We still have work to do for the second leg. Overall a great result and a big step in the right direction.

George: What a big difference from last season but the defence is still not good enough. Better teams will rip it apart.

Ian: Great team performance, much more pace with the passing, much more attacking intent, great to see. New signings looking sharp and what a shift from Duran and young Colby Donovan! Outstanding. Going into the second leg with confidence, same again please.

Celtic are considering a move for Southampton's Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, 24. (Scotsman - subscription required, external)

Sporting director Robert Graf says Hajduk Split need to sell players amid Celtic's interest in Niko Sigur, 22. (Record - subscription required, external)

Thursday's Scottish gossip

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Celtic manager Martin O'Neill: "I thought there were periods where we played some really fantastic stuff.

"There was also periods where they played fantastic stuff. It was really like a basketball game, particularly in the first half.

"We rode a little bit of luck, they had a great shot in the first minute. Just marginally offside.

"They had a great chance just a moment or two after that, so they started the brighter, and it took us time to get going.

"But when we did, then we scored.

"Great goal by Benjamin Nygren to take a bit of pressure off, give us the lead, and then Camilo Duran's two goals were fantastic.

"But the game is absolutely in the balance yet.

"I didn't even have to say it in the dressing room to the players, they know, they absolutely know this.

"I think that what we are, I think we've shown, I think we're capable of scoring, which we probably would need to do.

"But yeah, they are a fine side, I'm not playing it down at all. I think that this game, as I say, our goals were just fantastic.

"I mean, good enough to win any football match.

"But yeah, we've got a long way to go yet."

Celtic took a huge step towards the Champions League as two stunning Camilo Duran strikes helped carve out a commanding first-leg play-off lead against LASK.

Read the match report here.

Have your say here.

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Pat Bonner: "In the next leg they still have a lot of work to do, and they have to do it well, but Celtic have shown with the way they played tonight that they should be in the Champions League.

"And I think when they get there, they will get better."

Kasper Schmeichel on TNT Sports: "The players, the club, the fans needed a night like this.

"After the first five minutes, Celtic were dominant.

This is one of those special nights and they've put themselves in an incredible position."

Scott Brown: "It was one of those games where I really enjoyed watching Celtic play.

"The new signings looked sharp, they looked focused, and the main thing is they're scoring goals.

"Now, going away from home, it's not time to go over there and shut up shop and hope you get through, you have to go and believe again.

"LASK are a good team, but Celtic made them look like a normal team with the way they dictated and moved the ball."

Joe Hart on TNT Sports: "Celtic are in the driving seat, but I don't think the tie is over.

"It wasn't a perfect performance, but Celtic got the supporters off their seats with three goals of the highest quality.

"Camilo Duran really announced himself and Celtic have put themselves in a fantastic position."

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Celtic midfielder Mika Baur tells TNT Sports: "It was unbelievable - the atmosphere, the energy.

"They told me to be me, play your game, help the team fight.

I think I did good today.

"We did a great job, but it's just the first step."

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Former Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan believes the "minimum" for the club should be qualifying for the Champions League every year.

But have they done enough in the transfer market to make it past play-off opponents LASK?

The signing deadline for this tie came and went on Tuesday night with no further additions, leaving the number of new recruits at four before tonight's first leg at Celtic Park.

"This is going to be a really tough task, LASK are a formidable proposition," says Stephen McGowan, football writer for The Herald.

"Celtic have made decent efforts to try to strengthen the squad in the past week or two. The question you've got in your mind is have they done enough?

"Because I think ideally they would like to have signed a goalkeeper. They'd like to have a back-up left-back. Nothing they can do about Alistair Johnson's injury, but you're just worrying, with Arne Engels having gone, are they a wee bit undercooked?

"If you're a Celtic supporter tonight, there will be a bit of trepidation because the club's record in these play-offs is not good recently."

Celtic have failed in their past five Champions League qualifying attempts - last making it via this route with victory over Astana in 2017 - and Sheridan says the pressure on Martin O'Neill's side is sizeable.

"Celtic would have been doing some some job to be less prepared than than they went into the [Kairat Almaty] game last season," he said.

"I don't think the bar was too high in that regards but they've definitely had a a much better start to the season, a few big signings.

"But if Celtic fail to qualify, straight away it's all going to be the recruitment issues raised again. Engels' replacement, why wasn't that done before he's been sold?

"So much rides on this play-off tie, there's huge pressure on it for everyone at Celtic.

"Celtic should expect to be Champions League every season. I definitely think the minimum should be qualifying for it every year.

"But it's one thing thinking that you should be there and then actually being there every year, which I think has been the issue for for a lot of Celtic fans."

Listen to the full episode of Celtic analysis on the BBC's Scottish football podcast

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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The calamitous Champions League play-off defeat by Kairat Almaty a year ago isn't lingering at the back of Cameron Carter-Vickers' mind as Celtic enter the fray at the same stage this season.

The defender's European experience last season was a difficult one - he ruptured an Achilles tendon against Sturm Graz in October and didn't play for the rest of the campaign.

All water under the bridge as far as Carter-Vickers is concerned as he prepares for Wednesday night's first leg against LASK.

"The reality of it is as a football player, you've got to get over the losses the same way you do the wins," he said.

"When you come down from a big win, you've got to go again the next week so right now it's not really on my mind personally. But we're aware this game does come with massive consequences, so we are ready. "

Celtic kept two clean sheets against the Kazakhstan champions but their failure to score in either leg proved to be their undoing as they were dumped out on penalties.

Carter-Vickers reckons the addition of Denmark striker Kasper Hogh and Colombian forward Camilio Duran, both proven goalscorers at Champions League level, has given the side an extra edge.

"I think last year we struggled to score and maybe create chances and that's probably our downfall last time. So that's something we've reflected upon," he said.

"There's always a boost to the squad when you make new signings. Just the energy that kind of brings to the group always helps. And two of the players (Hogh and Duran) have really the ground running, so that's definitely a positive.

"It feels like we are a good place and we got a bit momentum from the last couple of results so it's a good feeling around the place."

Three wins from three in the Premiership and League Cup have given Celtic a confidence boost but LASK are in a good place too, with full points from their opening three Austrian Bundesliga fixtures and a cup win too.

"I think it'll be a difficult game, they're champions of Austria," added Carter-Vickers.

"They are obviously a good side, we've watched a little bit of them on Tuesday and it looked like a physical side, very well organized with good quality as well, so definitely be a tough, tough tie for us."

It's Champions League qualifying time for Celtic and the stakes could hardly be higher. Can Martin O'Neill's side finally put recent play-off disappointments behind them and get past Austrian champions LASK?

Is the tie really about £40 million, or is European prestige the bigger prize? David Currie is joined by Cillian Sheridan and Stephen McGowan to assess Celtic's start to the season, debate whether recruitment has been completed in time, and examine key concerns in midfield and defence.

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Celtic have made progress in their pursuit of midfield target Niko Sigur but will have to wait for the 22-year-old who is expected to be included by Hadjuk Split as they bid to reach the Conference League. (Daily Record, external)

Celtic are in advanced talks to secure a deal for Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Balazs Toth, with the transfer fee is expected to settle around £4m. (TeamTalk, external)

Celtic might have a renewed chance to sign Gvidas Gineitis, with reports of Red Bull Salzburg's proposed deal for the Torino midfielder stalling. (Glasgow Times, external)

Michel-Ange Balikwisha is on the radar of Elversberg, Basel and Monza, with the Celtic winger not in the plans of manager Martin O'Neill. (Pablo Oliveira on X, external)

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Celtic will have to deal with more mental pressure than LASK Linz in their quest for Champions League qualification, says the Austrian champions' head coach Dietmar Kuhbauer.

The 55-year-old guided LASK to a league and cup double last season and his team have started this campaign with four straight wins.

"We believe in ourselves," he said. "Celtic have a little bit more pressure because everybody knows Celtic.

"We are a small club, but still a good club. But for Celtic, it's more pressure than for us.

"But I don't go into my meeting and tell the guys they [Celtic] have more pressure.

"We have to believe in ourselves. We have 90 minutes and we have to play at the highest level. We don't care if they have more pressure."

Goalkeeper Lukas Jungwirth will tap into the knowledge of new signing Miguel Freckleton, who played in the St Mirren side that beat Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup final last December.

"We already talked with him because maybe he knows a few tricks," he said.

"He told us about the atmosphere. It's a great atmosphere. But we should not be scared about this. It should give us a push to perform even better."