Bundesliga Europa League representatives VfB Stuttgart are flying high after dominating Martin O’Neill’s Celtic in the first round of their 2025/26 UEL playoff leg at Celtic Park in Glasgow. Sebastian Hoeneß’ Swabians marched into Parkhead and proceeded to march all over O’Neill’s Bhoys. A 1-4 away win translates to very dim prospects for Celtic in the return leg at the MHP Arena in seven days’ time. Stuttgart’s advancement seems certain.
Bundesliga clubs have managed to fare exceptionally well in their respective European playoff fixtures this week. Bundesliga Champions League representatives Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen also took the first round of their playoff legs and are in excellent position to advance. Of the seven Bundesliga clubs participating in European football this season, only Eintracht Frankfurt have been dumped out of continental football.
After a protest from the Scottish ultras (a wonderful cultural link between German and Scottish football) briefly interrupted proceedings early, the visiting Germans took the lead in the 15th-minute. Moroccan international Bilal El Khannouss – in a form slump since returning from AFCON – signaled that he was in the mood early, forcing Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel to come out and punch away a long free kick in the 8th-minute. Seven minutes later, El Khannouss scored his first club goal of the new 2026 calendar year.
VfB centre-back Finn Jeltsch did well to intercept a Schmeichel clearance. The ball found its way back to El Khannouss via Deniz Undav and the Leicester City loanee finished cooly on-the-turn with a deft shoot straight into the left-hand corner. The Scots effectively handed the goal to their guests on a silver platter, with Schmeichel not looking great on either the clearance or the attempted save. The Celtic defensive ranks also switched off. A few minutes later, Stuttgart were the ones to hand over the equalizer.
Stuttgart keeper Alexander Nübel left his midfielder Atakan Karazor stranded with a pass out of the back in the 21st-minute. Karazor then played a fatally poor cross field pass directly to the feet of Benjamin Nygren. The streaking Swedish international confidently rounded Nübel and calmly stroked home the 1-1. Hoeneß’ crew were fortunately able to re-take the lead and exert consistent dominance for a long stretch afterwards.
El Khannouss restored the lead in the 28th-minute with a headed finish of an Angelo Stiller cross. Stiller’s service took a wicked deflection, but El Khannous (in loads of space) kept his eye on the fluttering ball all the way. The 32-times-capped Atlas Lion registered a most deserved early scorer’s brace with his alert adjustment on the ball and emphatic finish. Celtic mustered up virtually nothing in terms of a response.
The Germans kept control of the ball for the duration of the half, easily gobbling up all Celtic attacks with an intrepid high press. O’Neill’s men did come out more aggressive after the break, but quickly found themselves down 1-3 before the hour-mark struck. Schmeichel again did not cut a fine figure in the 57th-minute when Jamie Leweling all-too-easily smashed in a ranged effort from 18 meters out.
Ermedin Demirovic thought he had hammered in the final nail in the coffin in the 60th with the 1-4. Celtic were let off the hook for some atrocious defending when Demirovic was revealed to be in a slightly offside position. The hosts essentially fell apart despite the fact that the decisive fourth goal was disallowed. though Nygren saw a serviceable enough bid for his own brace denied by Nübel in the 65th.
Nübel also made a solid save on a powerful effort from Celtic substitute Yang Hyun-jun in the 76th. One nevertheless really never had a sense that a comeback would be in the cards, particularly in the light of the fact that the home fans at Parkhead were eerily silent as the match crawled to its conclusion. Only the Stuttgart fans could be heard as the match crawled to its conclusion.
Stuttgart’s 2022 relegation race hero knocked on the door twice with solo efforts before fellow substitute Nikolas Nartey set up his 1-4 at 90+3. Tiago Tomas polished off the final goal after what was a very nice run from Nartey shortly before the full-time whistle. Tomas’ fifth overall goal since rejoining Stuttgart to much fanfare this autumn likely places Celtic’s hopes of advancing in the Europa League beyond reach.
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)
Substitutes: Tiago Tomas (7), Nikolas Nartey (7), Chris Führich (6), Luca Jaquez (5), Chema Andres (-)
With the marks doled out above, the author hopes to convey that the Württemberger absolutely delivered a lovely team performance. Only captain Atakan Karazor is marked below average. All substitutes apart from Luca Jaquez were well above average. Granted, much of this relates to the fact that the Scots did largely give up after the third goal. In general, the Scottish Premiership hosts often let their guests roam about with the ball unperturbed.
El Khannouss still stands out above the rest for the manner in which he broke out of his prolonged form slump. The Moroccan’s timely brace counts as a matter of monumental importance for his Bundesliga club. El Khannoss was phenomenal. His four efforts on target could have easily produced a hat trick. The only reason one of the Bundesliga’s most popular players didn’t receive higher marks concerns the fact that turned the ball over sometimes sloppily.
