Preview: Celtic vs LASK Linz - prediction, team news, lineups

Celtic welcome LASK Linz to Celtic Park on Wednesday for the first leg of their Champions League playoff knockout round tie.

The hosts have made a flawless start to 2026-27 with three wins from three, while the visitors are similarly enjoying a spotless start to the campaign with four victories from four outings.

Match preview

Celtic enjoyed a stunning end to an inconsistent 2025-26, lifting the Scottish Premiership title on the final day with a 3-1 win against challengers Hearts, followed by beating Dunfermline 3-1 to lift the Scottish FA Cup.

Martin O'Neill's side failed to build on that momentum during pre-season, losing one and drawing three of their four friendly fixtures, but Celtic have returned to winning ways at the start of the new campaign.

The Bhoys started the Scottish Premiership term with a narrow 1-0 win against Dundee and a 5-1 demolition of Kilmarnock, followed by a 4-1 triumph against Dundee United in the Scottish League Cup second round.

Now entering into the qualifiers for the Champions League, Celtic will be hoping to maintain their flawless start to the campaign and move one step closer to returning to the league phase of Europe's most prestigious competition, having devastatingly missed out in 2025-26 after losing to Kairat Almaty in the playoff round.

However, Celtic are expected to face a challenging task if they are to book their place in the league phase, with opponents LASK also heading into this tie in stunning form.

LASK also lifted their respective league title last season, lifting their first Austrian Bundesliga trophy since 1964-65 after finishing top of the standings by just two points, ensuring they enter the Champions League qualifiers at this stage.

After a mixed pre-season with three wins and three defeats, Dietmar Kuhbauer's side have similarly experienced a perfect start to 2026-27, winning all of their four matches across all competitions.

LASK have been particularly impressive going forward, scoring 16 goals in their four matches, including notable 7-0 and 4-1 victories against SC Kalsdorf and SV Ried respectively, while they have only conceded once during that run.

LASK do, however, have far less European experience to draw from going into this encounter, having last featured in the Champions League during the qualifiers in 2019-20, when they were eliminated 3-1 on aggregate in the fourth qualifying round by Club Brugge.

Celtic form (all competitions):

LASK Linz form (all competitions):

Team News

Celtic will remain without the services of Jota as the winger continues his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is also unavailable due to suspension.

The Bhoys have scored 10 goals in their opening three matches this season, with summer signings Kasper Hogh (three goals) and Camilo Duran (one goal) already proving effective at Celtic Park, and the duo should remain in the starting team for this match.

O'Neill could, however, change the side further back, with limited options in midfield potentially forcing the manager into a back three, with Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty and Liam Scales all starting in defence.

Meanwhile, LASK will be unable to call upon the services of Art Smakaj and Ramiz Harakate due to ongoing injury problems.

Striker Samuel Adeniran has already scored five goals in four appearances this season, and the forward should continue his attacking partnership with Moses Usor, who has scored two goals in his last two games.

Celtic possible starting lineup:

Sinisalo; Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Scales; Ralston, McGregor, Nygren, Tierney; Duran, Hogh, Tounekti

LASK Linz possible starting lineup:

Jungwirth; Mbuyamba, Alemao, Andrade; Jorgensen, Ljubicic, Bogarde, Horvath, Bello; Adeniran, Usor

We say: Celtic 2-1 LASK Linz

Both teams are enjoying brilliant starts to the new campaign, while both have also demonstrated their attacking strength, leading us to expect several goals between the two teams.

However, with Celtic boasting the home advantage, where they have won all of their last seven competitive fixtures, we are backing the hosts to secure the first-leg victory.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.