Luke McCowan has opened up on the agony of missing a crucial penalty in Celtic's Champions League qualifier against Kairat Almaty, a miss that contributed to a £40 million loss. Now, as Celtic face a decisive play-off against LASK, McCowan is determined to avoid another shootout.
A moment that defined a season
With the tie goalless after 210 minutes, McCowan stepped up to take Celtic's second penalty in the shootout, following Adam Idah's saved effort. But his shot was kept out by rookie keeper Temirlan Anarbekov, and Daizen Maeda's later miss sealed a disastrous exit for the Scottish champions.
McCowan, a lifelong Celtic fan, described the moment as one of the toughest of his career. "It was a huge deal not just for Celtic, but for my career," he said. "I had the chance in the game, then having the chance to score a penalty was a bit disappointing, even though I'd scored one in the Scottish Cup final."
Dealing with the aftermath
In the aftermath, McCowan sought support from his mental coach, JJ. "I messaged him right away after the penalty, saying, 'This is so, so hard', as it was," he recalled. "But it's just about putting yourself out there again. And putting yourself into the next training session like, 'Right, forget about it, it's done, just go and push onto the next game'."
Despite the pain, McCowan insists he would step up again if called upon. "If it comes, it comes. If I need to be in that situation again, I know I'm confident enough and technically good enough to go and score and hopefully put it away," he said.
Memories of Celtic's European nights
McCowan grew up watching Celtic's famous European victories, including Tony Watt's goal against Barcelona. "The one that stands out a mile is Tony Watt against Barca," he said. "I can't even remember the other teams in the group that year! That's your standout moment."
He also recalled watching John Hartson and Alan Thompson in action against Liverpool. "There are a few games you can look back on, it's nice," he added. "I wasn't at the games. You probably just couldn't afford going to the Champions League games."
Proving himself in Europe
After last season's heartbreak, Celtic dropped into the Europa League, where McCowan made his mark with a winning goal against Stuttgart, securing the club's first-ever victory on German soil. "That was huge for me," he said. "We played Feyenoord as well, that was my first time starting in Europe. And being able to start against Feyenoord and Stuttgart – both games we won away from home as well – was huge for me in terms of trying to show that you can get to that level and play in games that are that size."
Now, as Celtic prepare for the LASK showdown, McCowan is hoping to experience the magic of the Champions League as a player, having been an unused substitute for all five home ties in 2024/25. "It was nice watching that, and to experience the music two years ago now was incredible, and hopefully do the same this year," he said.
