Celtic’s Europa League Hopes Dim After Stuttgart Thrashing

Celtic’s chances of advancing in the UEFA Europa League are in serious doubt following a comprehensive 4-1 defeat to VfB Stuttgart in the first leg of their knockout play-off tie. The match, played at Celtic Park on February 19, 2026, saw Stuttgart dominate proceedings, leaving Celtic with a significant uphill battle for the return leg.

Match Summary

The game kicked off at 3:00 PM at Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, with an attendance of 52,901. Stuttgart took the lead through Bilal El Khannouss in the 15th minute and doubled their advantage in the 28th minute with another goal from El Khannouss. Celtic managed to pull one back through Benjamin Nygren in the 21st minute, but Stuttgart continued to press.

Jamie Leweling extended Stuttgart’s lead in the 57th minute, and Tiago Tomás sealed the victory with a goal in the 90+3rd minute, completing the 4-1 scoreline.

Key Statistics

Stuttgart’s dominance was reflected in the match statistics:

• Possession: Celtic 52.5%, Stuttgart 47.5%
• Shots on Goal: Celtic 2, Stuttgart 5
• Shot Attempts: Celtic 11, Stuttgart 16
• Corner Kicks: Celtic 4, Stuttgart 2
• Saves: Celtic 1, Stuttgart 11
• Yellow Cards: Celtic 0, Stuttgart 1

Lineups

Celtic

Starting XI: Kasper Schmeichel, Liam Scales, Auston Trusty, Kieran Tierney, Marcelo Saracchi, Julián Araujo, Paulo Bernardo, Callum McGregor, Benjamin Nygren, Daizen Maeda, Tomas Cvancara.

Substitutes: Viljami Sinisalo, Dane Murray, Ross Doohan, James Forrest, Colby Donovan, Anthony Ralston, Junior Adamu, Reo Hatate, Luke McCowan, Kelechi Iheanacho, Sebastian Tounekti, Yang Hyun-Jun.

Stuttgart

Lineup details for Stuttgart were not fully provided in the available sources.

Fan Reaction

The match was marked by a section of Celtic fans booing goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, reportedly in response to perceived errors leading to Stuttgart’s goals. Sky Sports reported on the negative reaction from the home crowd.

What’s Next?

Celtic face a daunting task in the second leg, needing to win by at least three goals to have any chance of progressing to the next round of the Europa League. The return fixture will be played in Stuttgart, with the date yet to be confirmed. UEFA’s official website provides further information on the competition and upcoming fixtures.

Game Odds

According to odds provided by OpenML:

• Total: o2.5 -115, u2.5 +115
• Spread: Celtic +280, VfB Stuttgart -125
• Over/Under 3.5: o3.5 +135, u3.5 -175