Stuttgart contest a free hit for Celtic, let’s relish the challenge

Europe is something of a distraction, but one we should be relishing, elimination shouldn’t even spring to mind…

Celtic v Utrecht, UEFA Europa League, League Stage. Back row (L-R) Sebastian Tounekti, Auston Trusty, Arne Engels, Benjamin Nygren, Liam Scales, Kasper Schmeichel. Front row (L-R) Daizen Maeda, Yang Hyeon-Jun, Callum McGregor, Kieran Tierney, Colby Donovan Photo: Kenny Ramsay. IMAGO / News Licensing

The games are coming thick and fast as the campaign goes into overdrive, and one way or another our fate will be determined in the coming four weeks due to the importance of the fixtures we must negotiate.

Two trips to Ibrox, a trip to Pittodrie and a home clash with Hibs, will have to be played out in a two week period, not to mention two difficult ties with VfB Stuttgart in the Europa play offs.

VfB Stuttgart pose for a photo during the DFB Cup quarter final match between Holstein Kiel and VfB Stuttgart at Holstein-Stadion on February 04, 2026 in Kiel, Germany. (Photo by Selim Sudheimer/Getty Images)

The European ties are in the opinion of some, nothing more than a hindrance we can do without, and even though I can see the logic in that viewpoint, it’s where we aspire to be as a big club. Fighting on all fronts, is what we should be wanting, in the eyes of the players and supporters alike.

Yes, it could well scupper our title and Scottish Cup bid, but we’ve been bemoaning our lack of progress on the continent for quite some time, so we should all be looking forward to such big games, and aiming to go as far as we can in European football’s secondary competition.

Our squad is looking much stronger than of late, so we should be using that depth over the course of the next few weeks as we fight on three fronts.

Nicolas Kuhn scores during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

I’ve heard more than a few supporters suggest that it really wouldn’t bother them in the slightest if we were eliminated from the Europa League, but for me that is nothing more than a defeatist attitude. If we progress we will get a great confidence boost and if we fall short we can turn our attention fully to our domestic objectives.

Essentially the Stuttgart game is a free hit and one we should relish, having come so close against Bayern Munich in the Champions League play-offs last year.

Celtic players pose for a photo on pitch prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

In four weeks time, I fully expect us to still be challenging on all three fronts, and that includes the Europa league. I don’t expect us to win the tournament as that would be an outrageous claim, but making a good impression on the European scene is something we want to see, and elimination shouldn’t even be entering our thoughts.

Martin O’Neill, Manager of Celtic interacts with Ron Jans, Head Coach of FC Utrecht, prior to the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD8 match between Celtic FC and FC Utrecht at Celtic Park on January 29, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Winning matches gives Celtic momentum and Martin O’Neill will certainly want to win as many games as he possibly can before he calls time on his managerial career in three months time. Three points at Rugby Park tomorrow then let’s give it a real go against the Bundesliga outfit on Thursday night, hopefully with the Green Brigade back in their rightful spots, the seats that they have paid for.

Just an Ordinary Bhoy

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Gordon Strachan, manager of Celtic, and Walter Smith, manager of Rangers, look on during the Scottish Premier League match between Celtic and Rangers at Parkhead on April 27, 2008. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

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Europe is something of a distraction, but one we should be relishing, elimination shouldn’t even spring to mind…

Exclusive Interview – Gordon Strachan talks to The Celtic Star

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