Celtic vs. Stuttgart: Europa League Playoff Preview, Team News, and Prediction
Celtic Park will host a pivotal clash this Thursday as Celtic welcomes Stuttgart for the first leg of their UEFA Europa League knockout playoff round. Both teams enter the match with positive momentum, setting the stage for an intriguing contest.
Celtic’s Resurgent Form Under Martin O’Neill
Celtic finished 21st in the Europa League league phase standings with 11 points, securing their place in the knockout rounds. Since the return of manager Martin O’Neill, the team has experienced a remarkable turnaround, remaining undefeated in their last ten matches, with seven wins and three draws. SportsMole highlights this impressive run, noting a recent 3-2 comeback victory against Kilmarnock as a testament to their resilience.
This victory propelled Celtic to within three points of league leaders Hearts. However, O’Neill has noted a pattern of needing stoppage-time goals in recent matches, suggesting a potential difficulty in closing out games early. SportsMole
Stuttgart’s Bundesliga Strength
Stuttgart currently sits fourth in the Bundesliga with 42 points from 22 games, boasting a record of 13 wins, three draws, and six defeats. They finished 11th in the Europa League league phase with 15 points, earning a spot in the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal. SportsMole reports that Stuttgart too secured a 3-1 victory over FC Köln in their most recent Bundesliga match, with Ermedin Demirovic and Deniz Undav playing key roles.
A notable trend for Stuttgart is their consistent ability to surpass the over 2.5 goals line in their last three games, indicating a propensity for high-scoring encounters. SportsMole
Match Details
The match is scheduled for February 19, 2026, at 20:00 UTC at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland. Sofascore provides live score updates and match information.
Team Lineups (as of February 17, 2026)
Celtic (vs Kilmarnock 2026-02-15): Kasper Schmeichel, Julián Araujo, Liam Scales, Auston Trusty, Kieran Tierney, Reo Hatate, Callum McGregor, Benjamin Nygren, Yang Hyun-jun, Junior Adamu, Daizen Maeda. Yahoo Sports
Stuttgart (vs FC Köln 2026-02-14): Alexander Nübel, Lorenz Assignon, Julian Chabot, Finn Jeltsch, Max Mittelstadt, Atakan Karazor, Chema Andrés, Jamie Leweling, Deniz Undav, Chris Fuhrich, Ermedin Demirovic. Yahoo Sports
Unavailable Players
Celtic: Lazar Jovanovic (Back Problems), Nikolas Nartey (Knock). Yahoo Sports
Stuttgart: No unavailable players reported.
Where to Watch
Details on TV channels broadcasting the match can be found on Sofascore.