Celtic Aims for Champions League Glory as O'Neill Faces Engels' Departure

Martin O'Neill has encouraged Celtic to aim for victory in the Champions League as they prepare for a crucial play-off match against LASK, the Austrian champions. The 74-year-old manager reflected on the club's historic achievement in 1967 when the Lisbon Lions won the European Cup, emphasizing the need for his team to aspire to that level despite the financial challenges in modern football. O'Neill expressed disappointment over the recent loss of midfielder Arne Engels to West Ham United just days before the £40 million showdown. He noted the significance of qualifying for the Champions League, which previously earned Celtic over £40 million during their last campaign. This season, reaching the group stage could yield an estimated £40 million, including prize money and ticket sales. Reflecting on the previous year's exit against Kairat Almaty, O'Neill highlighted the club's reinvestment of over £30 million in new players, aiming to build a competitive squad despite losing key talents like Engels and Daizen Maeda. While acknowledging the challenge of replacing Engels, he remains optimistic about the potential of the current squad and new signings like Mika Baur. As Celtic gears up for this pivotal match, O'Neill is focused on moving forward, aiming for success and hoping to emulate the club's illustrious past.

Source: Sky Sports - 2026-08-18