news-engine

← celtic

Confirmed Celtic Starting XI Vs LASK: Baur And Yang Start | Latest Celtic News

CeltsAreHere.com · Michael Shearer · 2026-08-19T17:50:34+00:00 · nguồn gốc

Martin O’Neill has named his Celtic starting XI to face LASK in the Champions League play-off first leg at Celtic Park. Celtic go into the game without Alistair Johnston, who misses out through injury, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is absent through suspension after picking up a three-match ban while at Beşiktaş in the Conference League in December 2023. The former Liverpool midfielder will serve the first match of that suspension tonight. The Hoops are also a midfielder down, with Arne Engels joining West Ham for around £22 million last week. Celtic do, however, have Mika Baur and Haissem Hassan fit and available tonight, with the question over whether either will start. Given the lack of options in midfield, Baur looks all but set to make his first start for the Bhoys at Paradise in a European qualifier. Hassan himself played the final 19 minutes against Dundee United on Saturday and looks the less likely of the pair to start tonight. With Yang Hyun-jun back in training after missing the weekend’s game, Sebastian Tounekti coming off the back of a goal and assist against Jim Goodwin’s side, and Camilo Durán scoring his first competitive goal for the Hoops at Tannadice, Celtic have a number of options out wide before even discussing Celtic legend James Forrest. There are also some debates in the back five which O’Neill is set to answer. Viljami Sinisalo will likely start in goal, while Colby Donovan has been favoured over Anthony Ralston in recent months when fit, and Ralston wasn’t even part of the matchday squad at the weekend. Cameron Carter-Vickers looks a certainty to start at right centre-back, with the main debate being who starts at left centre-back, Auston Trusty or Liam Scales. Based on current form, Trusty starts, but if Scales were to get the nod it wouldn’t be a surprise given how much of a fan the Celtic boss is of the Irish defender. Kieran Tierney will likely complete the back four. Onto midfield, Callum McGregor will anchor the middle of the park, and the question is who starts alongside Baur, Luke McCowan or Reo Hatate. Given the questions over Hatate’s future amid transfer interest, Baur seems most likely to start. In-form Benjamin Nygren is a certainty to feature, having started the season in top form, and he will play a major role for Celtic. Kasper Høgh undoubtedly starts up top, having made a major impact with three goals in his first three Celtic games, but questions remain over who starts out wide supporting him. That is where the real intrigue in the starting XI will be. LASK come into the game in strong form themselves, with three straight league wins in the Austrian Bundesliga and a cup tie hammering of Kalsdorf. Across all four games, Dietmar Kühbauer’s side have scored 16 goals and conceded just one, meaning Celtic will expect a difficult night against the Austrian champions. Here is the Celtic starting XI to face LASK: Kick-off at Celtic Park is 8:00pm. The match is live on TNT Sports 1.