Celtic host Lask Linz in Champions League play-off first leg
Celtic will open their Champions League play-off campaign against Lask Linz at Celtic Park, with the first leg of the tie set for 19 August. The winner over the two legs will move a step closer to the group phase of Europe's premier club competition.
Contrasting recent form
The two sides arrive at this stage with markedly different recent records. Celtic have managed just one win in their last five matches, drawing three and losing one, a run that shows some inconsistency going into the tie.
Lask Linz, by contrast, have won three of their last five outings, though they have also suffered two defeats in that spell. Their recent record is clearly the stronger of the two, and that form will offer the Austrian club some encouragement as they travel to Glasgow.
What is at stake
A place in the Champions League group stage represents significant prestige and reward for either club, and the home leg at Celtic Park gives the Scottish side a notable occasion to build an advantage before the return fixture. With Lask Linz having shown better recent results, the tie looks poised to be closely contested rather than a formality for either side.