Callum McGregor’s Brutally Honest Post-Match Comments After Celtic’s LASK Collapse Spark Huge Reaction

Celtic captain Callum McGregor has faced a wave of reaction after delivering a brutally honest assessment of his side’s humiliating Champions League exit against LASK.

The Scottish champions suffered one of the most extraordinary collapses in their European history on Tuesday night, throwing away a commanding four-goal aggregate advantage before eventually losing 5-1 after extra time.

Celtic had travelled to Austria holding a 3-0 lead from the first leg and appeared to have put the tie beyond doubt when McGregor opened the scoring in the 21st minute.

However, LASK responded before half-time and completely transformed the contest after the break. The Austrian side continued to pile on the pressure, eventually forcing the tie level on aggregate before scoring the decisive fifth goal in extra time.

The final result saw LASK progress 5-4 on aggregate, while Celtic were forced to settle for another season in the Europa League.

Speaking immediately after the match, McGregor did not attempt to hide from the scale of Celtic’s failure.

The captain admitted that his team had been too passive and suggested that some of the players appeared frightened by the pressure of protecting their advantage.

McGregor also accepted responsibility for the result, acknowledging that Celtic had not done enough to deserve to progress.

His comments have generated a strong reaction among supporters, particularly given the size of the lead Celtic had surrendered.

The collapse is even more difficult for Celtic fans to accept because their side had been four goals ahead on aggregate after McGregor’s early strike. Instead of controlling the match and seeing out the tie, Celtic allowed LASK to build momentum and turn what appeared to be an impossible comeback into reality.

LASK eventually completed the turnaround in extra time through Samuel Adeniran, despite the Austrian side later missing a penalty.

For Celtic, the defeat represents another painful European disappointment and leaves the club facing difficult questions about its mentality and ability to manage pressure in major matches.

McGregor’s willingness to openly criticise the performance may be viewed by some supporters as an act of accountability, while others have questioned whether such comments should have been made immediately after such a damaging defeat.

Either way, Celtic now have to recover quickly. Their Champions League dream is over, and attention will turn towards the Europa League and the club’s response to one of the most dramatic European collapses in its history.