Celtic suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Stuttgart in the first leg of their Europa League play-off round at Celtic Park. Bilal El Khannouss scored twice, bookending a Benjamin Nygren goal in the first half to give the visitors control. Jamie Leweling and substitute Tiago Tomas added late strikes to seal the win.
O’Neill Reflects on Tough Night
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill, marking his 1,000th game in charge, described the loss as a case of his team being ‘masters of their own downfall.’ The 73-year-old acknowledged the poor goals conceded, noting that Celtic remained competitive at 1-1 and even 2-1.
‘It’s a tough evening for us,’ O’Neill said. ‘On paper, 4-1 looks pretty poor, but we were masters of our own downfall in many aspects. It’s a tough ask to get through the tie. You’re travelling over to a side who are fourth in the Bundesliga and are very capable of winning this competition.’
O’Neill highlighted the financial challenges facing Scottish clubs compared to Premier League and Bundesliga teams, which spend £40 million on players. He emphasized that Celtic’s path to top quality lies in the future, with current battles elsewhere.
Fan Protest Disrupts Early Play
The match faced a delay shortly after kickoff when supporters protested against the board by throwing tennis balls onto the pitch. Stewards and players cleared the objects, but O’Neill criticized the action as unhelpful.
‘Anyone who thinks that is a good idea needs their head examined,’ O’Neill stated. ‘This was once an incredibly difficult, intimidating place to come. Teams like Juventus were terrified here. That sort of thing does not help at all. Stuttgart finds out there’s a lot of infighting going on.’
Schmeichel Faces Scrutiny
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel bore responsibility for two goals and drew boos from some fans in the second half. O’Neill defended the 39-year-old, praising his key saves, including one against Feyenoord that helped secure this stage.
‘Kasper Schmeichel has made some big saves since I’ve been at the club,’ O’Neill said. ‘This is a collective.’
McGregor Eyes Pride in Return Leg
Captain Callum McGregor insisted the scoreline did not reflect the game, pointing to Celtic’s good moments disrupted by well-timed Stuttgart goals, especially the third.
‘I don’t think it’s a 4-1 game,’ McGregor said. ‘The goals come at good times for them and kill any of our momentum. We have to keep going, have to keep fighting. That won’t define the season. The focus is now on Sunday against Hibs, and when we go there next week, we have to claw some pride back.’
