Austrian top-flight club based in Linz, crowned 1965 and 2026 champions.
Celtic faces LASK in a two-legged Europa League play-off-style path for a place in the Champions League groups. First legs are scheduled for Aug. 18-19 with the return a week later. LASK won the Austrian Bundesliga last season and has a track record against Scottish sides; Celtic aims to advance after last season’s exit at this stage.
Celtic has moved ahead in their Champions League play-off after a 3-0 first leg in Glasgow, with Nygren and Durán scoring and Duran adding a third. LASK created chances; Celtic are in a strong position for the return leg in Linz.
Kasper Hogh scores a hat-trick as Celtic outclass Kilmarnock, with Duran providing a superb assist and Nygren adding a third. Maloney and O’Neill are absent due to unrelated matters as Celtic dominate in Ayrshire, while questions linger over Kilmarnock’s defensive shape ahead of the season's tougher tests.
Paris Saint‑Germain has moved its Ligue 1 opener against Rennes to Roazhon Park after declaring the Parc des Princes pitch unsafe following a scorching summer. The club has also completed major summer sales — including Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye in high‑value deals — and has generated roughly €400m from departures while recruiting selectively.
Celtic has built a commanding 3-0 lead over LASK Linz after the first leg of the Champions League play-off. The second leg at the Raiffeisen Arena will determine whether they advance to the league phase or drop into the Europa League.
European football federations convene in Monaco as UEFA seeks assurances after Infantino's investor plan was aborted. The talks aim to prevent a boycott, clear the path for the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, and set a course for Infantino’s re-election battle in March 2027.
Multiple Champions League playoff ties have produced tense finishes, with Sabah overturning a late deficit against Hapoel Beersheva to reach the group stage; other ties see Glimt and Celtic maintaining leads as Monaco prepares the draw.
Celtic have surrendered a four-goal aggregate lead to LASK Linz, crashing to a 5-1 defeat in Linz and losing Champions League group-stage progression. The comeback keeps Celtic in European football via the Europa League, while coaching staff face scrutiny over squad depth and defensive resilience.
Celtic has collapsed from a 4-0 aggregate lead to a 5-4 loss in Linz, exiting the Champions League playoff. Manager Martin O’Neill has taken responsibility, while players defend the team as they face a costly European setback.
English clubs Bournemouth, Sunderland and Crystal Palace are set for European action this season after the Europa League draw placed them in pots with Juventus, Milan and Olympiacos among others. The field features Celtic, Real Sociedad and Marseille as the tournament grows more competitive. The draw determines fixtures for the group phase, with teams facing two from each of four pots and hosting half the matches.
Hearts have qualified for the Conference League play-off after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Rapid Vienna, then winning 4-3 on penalties. A red card to Tomas Magnusson forced a reshuffle, with Pierre Kabore and Calvin Miller delivering equaliser and stoppage-time drama. Beau Reus saved twice in the shoot-out as Hearts advance.
The Champions League league phase draw has placed PSG, Bayern, Real Madrid and others into eight-match groups for the 2026–27 campaign, with fixtures kicking off in September 2026 and Madrid hosting the final on 5 June 2027. Arsenal and Liverpool face stern tests as they bid to advance to the knockout rounds.
Northern Ireland clubs face a potential loss of a European slot as Larne exits and Rangers miss out; the play-off system and finances come under scrutiny, with implications for coefficients and domestic competition this season.
Barcelona has opened its Champions League campaign with a 5-1 win over Feyenoord; PSG has beaten Slovan Bratislava 6-1 as Ousmane Dembélé and Torres scored early and Torres completed a hat-trick; Real Betis has beaten Lille 3-2 with Donald Parrott scoring the winner on his Champions League debut and Lille finished with ten men after Ethan Mbappé’s red card.
Rangers have secured a 3-0 win over Celtic in the Old Firm derby, with Dan Neil scoring twice and Nicolas Raskin adding a late finish. The result cements Rangers’ dominance in the 90 minutes and keeps them in a strong position in the league race.
Real Madrid, under Jose Mourinho, has faced a setback in La Liga as they chase a Champions League title, while PSG, Bayern and Barcelona push for dominance in Europe. The season opens with high stakes as teams recalibrate after summer moves including Mourinho’s return to Madrid.
Celtic’s 74-year-old manager has hinted he will reflect on his position after back-to-back Old Firm defeats and a European setback. Celtic’s financial results show a heavy revenue drop and a loss, prompting the club to reaffirm support for O’Neill as it plots the season’s domestic and Europa League aims.