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Celtic are gearing up for another Champions League play-off, with a place among Europe’s elite and around £40 million on the line. A place in the Champions League proper looms, with Austrian champions LASK travelling to Celtic on August 19 before the deciding leg on August 25, with the Hoops desperate to avoid a repeat of last season’s agony. The scars from the penalty shootout defeat to Kairat Almaty have not disappeared. That night set the tone for much of what followed, before Martin O’Neill returned for a second interim spell and salvaged a turbulent campaign with the league title and Scottish Cup. This time, Celtic have another opportunity to get themselves into the Champions League proper. The squad preparing for LASK is still short in key areas. Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh remain the only two new arrivals, although a deal for Egyptian winger Haissem Hassan is close to completion. That would give O’Neill another attacking option, but there is plenty of work still required. Midfield is one area that needs strengthened, particularly with Arne Engels said to be pushing for a move to West Ham; Celtic are braced for a third bid from the Championship side. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, meanwhile, knows exactly what Celtic are trying to reach. The 32-year-old has extended his stay at the Hoops for another year, with O’Neill insisting supporters have yet to see the best of the midfielder in green and white. A Champions League winner with Liverpool, Oxlade-Chamberlain has experienced the competition at its highest level. What he has not experienced is a Champions League night as a Celtic player. Speaking to The Celtic Way, he said: “It’s definitely something I’ve always seen from being outside Celtic – seeing how special the Champions League nights looked. “It would be great for this group of lads as well. It’s a really exciting thing and for a club like this, I’m sure the rumours are true how special Celtic Park is on those European nights.” “It won’t be easy”, he admitted of the tie with the Austrian side. “But we know what we need to do to get there. That would be nice. We can’t look too far ahead beyond the play-off because these draws can be tricky. “I don’t want to look too far forward, but if we reach our goal of qualifying and being involved, we don’t just want to show up. We want to go there and have a good go. I’ve not played in this new Champions League format but we’ll think about that if we can get there.” That last part is key. There is little point in Celtic scraping through the play-off and then finding themselves badly under-equipped for what follows. Oxlade-Chamberlain might not be a guaranteed starter, but his experience and composure on the ball could have a role to play at this level. He also knows there is no point discussing the Champions League proper until LASK have been dealt with. Celtic learned that lesson painfully in Kazakhstan almost 12 months ago. Supporters will not need reminding of what happened against Kairat. Nobody will be treating this play-off as a formality, regardless of what Celtic Park under the lights might offer if O’Neill’s side get through it. Oxlade-Chamberlain’s ambition is exactly what supporters will want to hear. Celtic should want more than simply turning up if they qualify. They reached the Champions League knockout phase under Brendan Rodgers 18 months ago. If getting back towards that level is genuinely the target, though, the squad needs more help. August 19 is getting closer – Celtic’s recruitment needs to move just as quickly.