A quarter of a century after guiding Celtic to their first Champions League appearance, manager Martin O'Neill finds himself again on the brink of Europe's elite competition, grappling with the lingering memory of unfinished business.
In his inaugural season, O'Neill led Celtic to a treble and then set about rebuilding the club's European reputation. The 2001-02 campaign saw a promising start with a 3-1 away victory against Ajax in the Champions League play-off, securing a first-leg advantage.
Despite securing home wins against Porto, Rosenborg, and Juventus, Celtic faltered in their away fixtures. The nine points accumulated, which in most seasons would have been sufficient for progression, ultimately proved insufficient. O'Neill cited a controversial penalty awarded to Juventus in Turin as a pivotal moment that contributed to their group stage exit.
"Those were big blows for us not to get through the group stages because I felt we could have got to the knockout stages," O'Neill recalled. "I do think we had the wherewithal to do fine there as well. I can semi-base that on the fact Porto only just beat us in the UEFA Cup Final and then went on to win it the following year with essentially the same team."
He added, "The penalty in the last minute at Juventus wasn’t remotely a penalty. It wasn’t even a foul. We would have made it through and it would have been lovely to have got there. It is what it is, I guess."
Despite the disappointment of that initial journey, the victory over Ajax in Amsterdam remains a highlight. "That was a really great night," O'Neill said. "It was a great night, great to qualify, you know. We did brilliantly there and then we got very nervous for the second leg here. We lost the game, but got through, which was great."
O'Neill expressed a desire for a similarly nerve-wracking but ultimately successful outcome in the upcoming play-off against LASK. The financial and prestige implications of reaching the Champions League group stage are significant, offering the potential to attract desired players.
Last season, Celtic's European aspirations were thwarted by Kairat Almaty in the Champions League play-off. O'Neill believes the current squad is better equipped to score goals, stating, "I think there are more goals in the team now than last season. That is absolutely the case. We are capable of scoring more goals."
While Celtic reached the Europa League knockout stages in O'Neill's first tenure, he maintains the club should always aspire to compete at the highest level, referencing the club's 1967 European Cup win as the benchmark.
"I think that the bar was set down here way back in 1967. And from then on, I believe that Celtic should be aspiring to that," he said. "Celtic did fine the last time they were in the group stage when you think about getting hammered in Dortmund and learned from the process, getting the draw in Atalanta and then beating Leipzig."
Celtic's record in Champions League qualifiers has been inconsistent, with seven successful qualifications out of 18 attempts. The club has been eliminated by lesser-known opponents such as Artmedia, Cluj, Ferencvaros, and Kairat Almaty.
O'Neill acknowledged the challenge posed by LASK, describing them as a physical, strong side with pace. "They are very big and strong," O'Neill warned. "Their set-piece is very good, they take long throws and get the ball in the box. They have a bit of pace with the two boys up front, who are really decent. The main striker (Samuel Adeniran) is a big, strong boy. We have to deal with that. I’m not playing it down, this will be difficult."
LASK, who won their domestic double for the first time in their history, reached the Europa League round of 16 in the 2019-20 season before being eliminated by Manchester United. While they have not yet reached the Champions League group stage, they are seen as a club on the rise.
"We will make an all-out effort to try and make it," O'Neill stated. "Of course, if we don’t do, we’ll be naturally disappointed. It just sets an air of despondency around the club."