Celtic's play-off opponents start to become clearer
Celtic's play-off opponents start to become clearer
Thu, July 30, 2026 at 12:06 PM UTC
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AGF staged a stunning fightback in Poland
Celtic's potential Champions League play-off opponents became slightly clearer after the latest second qualifying round ties, including a stunning comeback win by Danish champions AGF Aarhus.
The Scottish champions already knew that Norwegian counterparts Viking Stavanger and Austria's LASK are potential opponents as both have automatically qualified for the play-off round and will be on the unseeded side of the draw.
However, three other potential opponents will be decided by matches with first legs on 4/5 August and second legs on 11 August.
AGF were 4-1 down from their first leg at home to Polish champions Lech Poznan but stunned their hosts by scoring three times in 90 minutes to take the tie into extra time on Wednesday.
Lech, for whom former Celtic winger Luis Palma played the first 68 minutes, scored first in extra-time, but the Danes equalised before winning the penalty shoot-out.
It means AGF face Sabah in the third round of qualifying, with the Azerbaijan champions having won 2-0 away to Finnish counterparts KuPS on Tuesday for a 3-0 aggregate win.
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Celtic could also face the winners of the tie between Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan and Levski Sofia of Bulgaria.
Levski beat Universitatea Craiova 3-2 on aggregate after a 2-2 draw in Romania.
Meanwhile, Kairat beat Omonia Nicosia after a penalty shoot-out following a 1-0 home win levelled the tie with the Cypriots at 1-1.
One final possible opponent for Celtic could come from the tie between Celje of Slovenia or Aarat-Armenia.
Celje beat Egnatia Rrogozhinë on penalties after a 2-2 draw at home that levelled the tie at 5-5 on aggregate.
The Armenian champions won 3-2 on aggregate despite a 2-1 second-leg defeat away to Shamrock Rovers.
Source: “AOL Sports”
