Johnston Misses Out as Celtic Name LASK Play-Off Squad
UEFA have confirmed Celtic’s 25-man squad for the Champions League play-off round against Austrian champions LASK, with new signings Haissem Hassan and Mika Baur both included on the list published following Thursday’s registration deadline.
According to The Celtic Way, the association released the full List A on its website, giving supporters their clearest look yet at who Celtic can call upon as they attempt to reach the League Phase proper.
Who’s In, Who’s Missing
The headline absence is Alistair Johnston, left out after Martin O’Neill confirmed the defender won’t be fit until mid-September. That’s a blow given the calibre of opponent, and it leaves Celtic short of options at right-back for what is genuinely a champions-versus-champions tie.
There’s better news on the goalkeeping and academy front. Colby Donovan and Marcus Gill haven’t been named on List A, but both remain eligible via List B as under-21 homegrown players, meaning O’Neill retains that flexibility if either is needed.
Perhaps the most intriguing name on the sheet is Arne Engels. His inclusion doesn’t tell us anything about his long-term future – his move to West Ham progressed after last night’s deadline, with O’Neill confirming the midfielder was due to undergo a medical. Make of that what you will, but for now he’s registered.
The Rules Celtic Are Working Within
Celtic aren’t locked into this list for the entire European campaign. UEFA allow two further additions to List A before 11pm on Tuesday – the day before the first leg – but no changes can be made after that for either leg of the tie. For context on how these regulations actually work, this breakdown of the UEFA rule changes affecting the LASK tie is worth a read.
Worth remembering too that this isn’t the deadline for the whole campaign – the League Phase registration cut-off doesn’t arrive until September 2nd, so there’s still scope for the squad to evolve if Celtic get past LASK. As ever, the eight locally trained and four club-trained quotas shape exactly how many bodies can be named, and any shortfall there reduces the ceiling below 25.
What Happens Next
Celtic host LASK at Celtic Park in the first leg before travelling to Linz for the return on 25th August. For the full picture on how the tie is shaping up, this look at the Celtic vs LASK play-off and wider context on the campaign are both worth your time. Champions League football, real Champions League football, is two legs away – and this squad list is the first real clue as to how O’Neill plans to get there.
Mon The Hoops.
