Celtic’s chastening night in 4-1 Europa League mauling from VfB Stuttgart

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The Celtic Star

·20 febbraio 2026

Celtic’s chastening night in 4-1 Europa League mauling from VfB Stuttgart

Celtic lost 4-1 last night against VfB Stuttgart at Celtic Park in what will surely be our last home game in Europe this season, with the tie almost certainly over after a chastening night in the east end of Glasgow…

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)

In a matter of days we have gone from the highs of a last minute winner after being 2-0 down to Kilmarnock in what was a brilliant comeback, to a night where we looked pitiful as the German side ran all over us on our own ground.

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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)

There are so many negatives from last night it’s hard to know where to start. The performance on the pitch was abysmal. It just seemed like the players weren’t up for it. 4-1 certainly didn’t flatter VfB Stuttgart, it could have been more. It’s hard to pick out any players who received pass marks tonight. Nygren took his goal well, but apart from that moment of magic was anonymous as usual. I can’t think of a player we have ever had that’s been such an enigma.

Daizen Maeda during the warm-up 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)

Daizen Maeda, not for the first time this season, was a ghost out there. He has been poor this season in his preferred positions out left and up front. On the right wing he’s atrocious. Martin O’Neill has a big decision to make on his future in the starting eleven, Yang did more in the five minutes after his introduction than Maeda did all night.

Kasper Schmeichel of Celtic looks dejected 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)

Kasper Schmeichel. Where do I start? That was Barkas levels of goalkeeping tonight. He is becoming an absolute liability at this stage. Can’t move his feet quick enough, can’t get down in time and his distribution is getting us in all sorts of trouble.

I don’t think Sinisalo is the answer long term but surely he’s a better bet at this stage than Kasper? He will cost us goals and points in the title race if Martin sticks with him. It will be a brave decision to drop him but it’s one he might need to take if we are to have any hope of claiming silverware this season.

One thing I have to say however is that the booing of Kasper by some of our own fans tonight was a disgrace and an embarrassment. He might be a liability at the minute but he has served Celtic well since he joined the club, often being our match winner in the past.

He doesn’t pick the team, he’s clearly out of form and making mistakes but it’s up to the management team to take him out of the starting eleven if that’s the case. We should never boo our own players during a game, I can’t believe I’m actually having to write that.

Fan protest at 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)

Personally I also hated the tennis ball protest tonight. It was clear at the time how much it annoyed some of the players and especially Martin O’Neill sat on the bench. He made his stance on it abundantly clear in his post match interview stating ‘anyone who thinks that’s a good idea needs their head examined’.

“If I was giving advice to young managers, don’t wait until they’re 73 to get their 1000th game!” Celtic manager Martin O’Neill ahead of his 1000th professional game in management 😅 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK
– giovedì 19 febbraio 2026

The pre-match build up and atmosphere seemed slightly better than it’s recently been at Celtic Park and the players could have fed off that but weren’t afforded the chance with the game stopping for a few minutes as the balls were cleared off the pitch.

I get that the fan groups want to make a statement but something like this distracts the players and gains little traction on what the whole purpose of the protest actually is. If anything it actually brings negativity towards a subject that most fans can agree on, getting rid of the current board at Celtic. Surely there are better ways to get the point across than something that affects the players on the pitch in a season where these players need as much help as possible?

❝End the bans, freedom for ultras.❞ VfB Stuttgart supporters displayed a banner at the Celtic FC away match condemning the bans against the Green Brigade.
– giovedì 19 febbraio 2026

I wrote on The Celtic Star before the Utrecht game saying I wasn’t sure if I fully wanted to see us win the game. It’s a feeling I’ve never had as a Celtic fan before but I just felt that progressing in Europe could be detrimental to our season.

Last night tells me I was right, after the highs of Kilmarnock we are now back to the lows of feeling like it’s going to take a lot to end this season with silverware. Next week in Germany Martin O’Neill must use the match to rest certain players and give others in need of game time their chance. The tie is gone.

It’s incredible how a game such as last night’s, one that not many of us had great expectations of winning, could have such a damaging effect. The negativity around the club has intensified just as it looked like unity was finally starting to come. A protest that has split the fan base. Fans booing players. Players confidence drained after such a big boost at the weekend.

READ THIS…Balls protest – Celtic’s wage thieves real ‘masters of our own downfall’, Martin

Yang of Celtic looks dejected 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)

It’s going to be interesting to see how this all develops on Sunday as we head into yet another vital league game against Hibs. Martin O’Neill and his staff are going to have their work cut out.

It’s hard to remain positive at the minute, in a season that seems to bounce from one disaster to another. A win on Sunday is a must, anything else will surely see our hopes of retaining our title start to slowly peter out.

Could we finally see that complete performance we have all been crying out for? One that doesn’t require late goals but instead puts a marker down that we don’t intend to give up out title lightly? We can only pray. We need something to kickstart us back into life.

Conall McGinty

Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr. Click on image to order