Celtic’s 4-1 defeat to VfB Stuttgart at Celtic Park in the first leg of the Europa League playoff effectively renders the return leg at the Neckarstadion a dead rubber…
Celtic v VFB Stuttgart at Celtic Park during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off First Leg match between Celtic FC and VfB Stuttgart at Celtic Park on February 19, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
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It’s a fixture that comes at the most awkward time for Celtic as far as any domestic aspirations are concerned. There’s a three-way fight for the Scottish Premiership this year with Hearts contesting the title for the first time since 1986. The Tynecastle side have benefited from both of the Glasgow giants imploding at different stages of the season with theRangers starting the season abysmally under Russell Martin before Celtic attempting to out do their local rivals by emptying Brendan Rodgers and replacing him with a rookie Frenchman from MLS Wilfred Nancy.
Martin O’Neill in the Celtic dugout for his 1000th match as a manager. Celtic v VFB Stuttgart at Celtic Park during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off First Leg match between Celtic FC and VfB Stuttgart at Celtic Park on February 19, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
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At either side of the Nancy appointment Martin O’Neill stepped in and steadied the ship. In the first short period he defeated theRangers at the Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden. That was Celtic’s ONLY victory against theRangers or Hearts so far this season. That has to change with Celtic having one home match against Hearts to come, post split and three matches against theRangers with the first two coming in the two weekends after the trip to Germany to play VfB Stuttgart. There will be a huge amount of football betting activity on these matches with supporters of both Glasgow clubs looking to capitalise on the confidence they’ll have on their team coming on top in both matches.
Celtic supporters singing YNWA ahead of the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off First Leg match between Celtic FC and VfB Stuttgart at Celtic Park on February 19, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
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The first Ibrox game is in the Scottish Premiership while the second visit in a week is a Scottish Cup quarter-final tie. Celtic simply can’t come back from two consecutive defeats against their biggest rivalry that goes all the way back to the first ever meeting between the clubs in February 2015.
Callum McGregor walks out ahead of the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off First Leg match between Celtic FC and VfB Stuttgart at Celtic Park on February 19, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
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So ahead of the trip to Ibrox on Sunday 1st March, the interim Celtic manager Martin O’Neill will have to negotiate the second leg in Stuttgart on Thursday evening looking at utilising his stretched squad to rest as many vital legs as possible for the huge match against theRangers.
This could see a starting XI looking something like Viljami Sinisalo in goals, a back four of Colby Donovan, Dane Murray, Liam Scales and Marcelo Saracchi. In midfield Celtic could go with Luke McCowan, Paulo Bernardo and Reo Hatate with a front three of Yang, Junior Adamu and James Forrest.
Benjamin Nygen celebrates his goal during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off First Leg match between Celtic FC and VfB Stuttgart at Celtic Park on February 19, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
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That would mean Celtic could rest the likes of Kasper Schmeichel, Julian Araujo, Auston Trusty, Kieran Tierney, Benjamin Nygren, Callum McGregor, Tomas Cvancara and Sebastian Tounekti who are all with perhaps the exception of Schmeichel, are all likely to start at Ibrox.
As things stand the Celtic team we would expect to start against theRangers would be as follows:
11.02.2026 Celtic v Livingston, Scottish Premiership. Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain celebrates after scoring the late winner at Celtic Park. Photo: Kenny Ramsay. IMAGO / News Licensing
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Suggested Celtic XI: Sinisalo; Araujo, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; McGregor (c), Nygren, Oxlade Chamberlain*, Maeda, Cvancara and Tounekti
That’s how Celtic maximises their chances going into the Glasgow Derby which will hopefully provide back to back victories to set Martin O’Neill up for a brilliant double triumph in the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup.
*Not registered for Europa League squad.
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