UEFA Europa League
Play-off round, first leg
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Celtic Park, Glasgow
CELTIC…1
(Nygren 21)
VfB STUTTGART…4
(Khannouss 15 & 28, Leweling 57, Tomas 90+2)
Celtic face an extremely tough task in Germany next week in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League play-off following a 4-1 home defeat at home tonight (Thursday).
Advertisement
Both sides started the game in a positive vein, but it was the visitors who grabbed the opening goal after 15 minutes.
Denis Undav fed the ball to Bilal El Khannouss who fired a low, left-footed shot into the Celtic net, and though the Hoops players claimed the Stuttgart player was offside, a VAR check ruled the goal a legitimate one.
But that lead lasted only six minutes before Celtic equalised through Benjamin Nygren, with the Swede netting his 17th goal of the season.
Advertisement
The Hoops capitalised on slack play at the back from the German side, and he surged into the box, rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into the net for his fourth European goal of the campaign to make it 1-1.
However, that parity in the scoreline didn’t last long as Stuttgart scored again just before the half-hour mark.
A looping cross from the right found El Khannouss on the edge of the six-yard box, and he directed his header beyond Kasper Schmeichel and into the net.
Advertisement
That second goal gave Stuttgart renewed confidence and they began to control possession, creating a couple of chances which ultimately came to nothing, while Celtic were finding the Stuttgart defence difficult to break down.
Celtic looked to find a way back into the game after the break and Julian Araujo made a driving run from inside his own half up to the edge of the Stuttgart area, eventually forcing a corner, though the set-piece came to nothing.
And the Hoops were punished when Stuttgart scored a third goal on 57 minutes.
Advertisement
Denis Undav again provided the assist, this time for Jamie Leweling, who fired in a shot from the edge of the area.
And just two minutes later, the German side thought they had made it 4-1 when Ermedin Demirovic finished off a great move but a VAR check disallowed the goal for offside.
At the other end, Benjamin Nygren had a shot from inside the area well-saved by Alexander Nübel, while Sebastian Tounekti had a couple of efforts from the edge of the area which went wide of the target.
Advertisement
With 10 minutes remaining, Kasper Schmeichel saved well to deny Tiago Tomás, while Marcelo Saracchi’s cross almost deceived the keeper, but just went over the bar.
However, Stuttgart remained dangerous every time they attacked and they added a fourth goal in added time when substitute Tiago Tomas surged into the box and lifted the ball over Schmeichel and into the net to make it 4-1 on the night.