Aden McCarthy celebrates historic UEFA Champions League spot with Sabah FC

Celtic's manager Martin O'Neill has revealed that missing out on the Champions League will be a significant financial burden for the Scottish champions. Having already been eliminated in the play-offs by Kazakh side Kairat Almaty, Celtic suffered a 5-1 defeat to LASK in the group stage, squandering a four-goal aggregate lead. This failure to reach the league phase is estimated to cost the club around £40 million ($55 million), even with the consolation of competing in the Europa League.

O'Neill, who guided Celtic to the title in his previous stint with the club, emphasized that the loss of Champions League football will have serious consequences in terms of financial impact and prestige. He acknowledged that the squad needs strengthening due to the performance, which has highlighted the team's weaknesses.

However, captain Callum McGregor took a more confrontational stance, stating that the team "got what they deserved" and were "passive all night." He criticized the team's behavior, saying they "looked scared to go and win the game" and acknowledged that they have no excuses for their performance. McGregor also emphasized that the character of the players will be tested as they face a tough challenge in their next match against Falkirk, who currently sit at the top of the Premiership table.