Kühbauer and LASK will continue their successful partnership for the long term. The 55-year-old has extended his original deal, which was due to expire in 2026, by three years until the end of the 2028/29 season. His entire coaching staff will also remain at the club, with assistant coaches Manfred Nastl and Maximilian Ritscher as well as goalkeeping coach Philip Großalber all committing their futures to LASK.
Kühbauer took LASK from the bottom to a historic double
Given the club’s development since Kühbauer’s return, the decision comes as little surprise. The Burgenland-born coach took over in October 2025 at a difficult time and led LASK back to the summit of Austrian football within a matter of months. An extraordinary turnaround ended with both the Bundesliga title and the Austrian Cup.
In his first 27 competitive matches after returning, Kühbauer recorded 19 wins and six draws, suffering just two defeats. Following their title-winning campaign, LASK themselves highlighted not only the tactical return to a back three, but also Kühbauer’s man-management and the strong unity within the squad as key factors behind their success.
Sporting director Dino Buric therefore views the extension primarily as a statement of continuity: “Winning the double was the deserved reward for consistent work – and the start to this season shows that the team is continuing exactly where it left off.”
Kühbauer, meanwhile, stressed that last season’s trophies cannot become an excuse for complacency: “We are proud of what we have achieved together, but we cannot rest on that. We have to keep developing.”
The defending champions have certainly started the new campaign in impressive fashion. LASK beat SC Kalsdorf 7-0 in the cup before recording Bundesliga victories over GAK (3-0), Austria Wien (2-0) and SV Ried (4-1) in the Upper Austrian derby. Four competitive matches, four wins and a 16-1 goal difference represent an almost flawless start.
Celtic FC have also made a perfect start
The level of opposition now rises considerably. On Wednesday at 9pm CET, LASK travel to Celtic Park for the first leg of their Champions League play-off. The return fixture takes place in Upper Austria the following Tuesday. The winners qualify for the Champions League league phase, while the losers will at least continue in the Europa League.
Celtic FC have also made an excellent start to the season. The Scottish champions opened their league campaign with a 1-0 victory over Dundee FC, followed that up with a 5-1 away win at Kilmarnock and then reached the League Cup quarter-finals with a 4-0 victory at Dundee United last weekend. Their record therefore stands at three wins from three and a goal difference of 10-1.
Høgh and Nygren in impressive early form
LASK will have to pay particularly close attention to Kasper Høgh. The new centre-forward, who moved to Glasgow from Bodø, scored a first-half hat-trick in the 5-1 win over Kilmarnock and impressed especially with his movement and instinct inside the penalty area.
Benjamin Nygren has also started the season in excellent form. The Swedish attacker scored the winner in the 1-0 victory over Dundee FC and again played a decisive role in the 4-0 win against Dundee United. His movement between midfield and attack has made him one of the most dangerous players in Martin O’Neill’s side so far.
Captain Callum McGregor remains the key figure in central midfield, while Cameron Carter-Vickers and Kieran Tierney provide considerable international experience in defence. Another new face is Mika Baur, who joined from SC Paderborn only a few days ago and made his debut in the 4-0 victory over Dundee United.
For LASK, Celtic Park therefore represents the first true benchmark of an otherwise perfect start to the season. The Austrian champions travel to Glasgow as underdogs, but their current form gives them every reason to believe they can compete. With the attacking threat of Samuel Adeniran and Moses Usor, combined with the collective stability Kühbauer has built, LASK will be aiming to secure a strong position ahead of the return leg in Linz.
