VfB Stuttgart, the Bundesliga’s representatives in the Europa League, are riding high after a commanding performance against Martin O’Neill’s Celtic in the first leg of their 2025/26 UEL playoff at Celtic Park, Glasgow. Under the management of Sebastian Hoeneß, Stuttgart dominated the Scottish side, securing a 4-1 away victory that leaves Celtic with little hope for the return leg at the MHP Arena next week. Stuttgart’s progression to the next round appears almost certain.
German clubs have excelled in their European playoff matches this week, with Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen both taking crucial first-leg leads in their play-off rounds as well. Out of the seven Bundesliga teams competing in European football this season, only Eintracht Frankfurt has been eliminated from the tournaments.
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The two sides trade gifted goals
After a brief protest from Scottish ultras—creating a fascinating cultural tie between German and Scottish football—the visitors took the lead in the 15th minute. Bilal El Khannouss, who had been struggling for form since returning from AFCON, announced his return with a strong showing. After forcing Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel to punch away a long free kick in the 8th minute, he scored his first club goal of 2026 just seven minutes later.
VfB center-back Finn Jeltsch intercepted a clearance from Schmeichel, and after a quick exchange with Deniz Undav, El Khannouss found himself in space to finish smoothly into the left corner. The goal was handed to them on a silver platter, with Schmeichel looking shaky on both the clearance and the attempted save as the Celtic defense faltered. Just minutes later, however, Stuttgart gifted Celtic their equalizer.
In the 21st minute, Stuttgart goalkeeper Alexander Nübel’s pass left midfielder Atakan Karazor exposed. Karazor’s wayward cross-field pass landed at the feet of Benjamin Nygren, who confidently rounded Nübel to put Celtic level at 1-1. Nevertheless, Stuttgart quickly regained control and dominance in the game.
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Stuttgart find their rhythm
El Khannouss restored Stuttgart’s lead in the 28th minute, heading in a cross from Angelo Stiller, despite a deflection that made the ball tricky to read. This marked a well-deserved brace for El Khannouss, who was in ample space and made no mistake with his adjustment and finish. Celtic struggled to respond effectively.
Stuttgart maintained possession throughout the half, and their high press effectively neutralized Celtic’s attacks. While Celtic showed more aggression after halftime, they quickly fell behind 1-3 as Jamie Leweling fired in a low shot from 18 meters in the 57th minute, with Schmeichel again failing to look solid.
Stuttgart enter cruise control
Ermedin Demirovic appeared to have put the final nail in Celtic’s coffin in the 60th minute with a 1-4 goal, but it was disallowed for offside. Despite this reprieve, Celtic’s defensive frailties were evident, and they seemed to unravel, although Nygren came close to netting a second goal, only to be denied by Nübel in the 65th minute.
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Nübel made a notable save against a powerful shot from Celtic substitute Yang Hyun-jun in the 76th minute. However, as the match progressed, there was little sense of a Celtic comeback, with the home crowd growing increasingly silent as Stuttgart dominated the closing stages.
Tiago Tomas seals the victory
In the dying moments of the match, Tiago Tomas, who had been knocking on the door earlier, finally found the net in the 90+3 minute, with a goal set up by Nikolas Nartey after a brilliant run. This marked Tomas’ fifth goal since his return to Stuttgart, further dimming Celtic’s hopes of advancing in the Europa League.
VfB Stuttgart Player Ratings
Alexander Nübel (6) – Ramon Hendriks (6), Jeff Chabot (6), Finn Jeltsch (6), Joscha Vagnoman (6) – Angelo Stiller (6), Atakan Karazor (4) – Jamie Leweling (7), Deniz Undav (7), Bilal El Khannouss (8) – Ermedin Demirovic (7)
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Substitutes: Tiago Tomas (7), Nikolas Nartey (7), Chris Führich (6), Luca Jaquez (5), Chema Andres (-)
GGFN Player of the Match: Bilal El Khannouss (8)
The ratings indicate that Stuttgart delivered a strong team performance, with only captain Atakan Karazor scoring below average. The substitutes, aside from Luca Jaquez, performed admirably. It’s worth noting that the Scottish hosts allowed Stuttgart considerable freedom on the ball, particularly after conceding the third goal.
El Khannouss was the standout player, breaking free from his recent slump in form. His vital brace proved significant for Stuttgart, and his four shots on goal could have easily resulted in a hat trick. He would have earned even higher marks if not for a few sloppy turnovers.