Celtic vs Stuttgart – News and Probable Lineups

This Thursday night, Celtic is set to host Stuttgart at Celtic Park for the first leg of their knockout playoff round encounter in the Europa League.

The Bhoys concluded the league phase in 21st place with 11 points, while Die Roten finished 11th, earning 15 points.

Match overview

Under the leadership of Martin O’Neill, who returned for a second term this season, Celtic has experienced an impressive series of results.

Since O’Neill’s arrival, the Bhoys have been unbeaten, achieving eight victories and two draws in their last ten matches, highlighted by a vital win over FC Utrecht in their last league phase match, securing their spot in the Europa League knockout rounds.

This success propelled Celtic to 21st in the league phase table, with 11 points from three wins, two draws, and three losses.

Heading into this fixture, Celtic is brimming with confidence, having a five-game winning streak, including a remarkable 3-2 comeback against Kilmarnock in their last match. They fell behind 2-0 but rallied to score three goals in the second half, capped off by a last-minute winner from Julian Araujo, closing the gap to three points behind the league leaders, Hearts.

However, O’Neill might have some concerns regarding their recent victories, as all three have required stoppage time goals, indicating a struggle to secure games early on.

This could present a significant challenge against a side like Stuttgart, who are currently having a solid campaign.

Die Roten are positioned fourth in the Bundesliga with 42 points from 22 matches, consisting of 13 wins, three draws, and six losses. They ended the league phase in 11th place with 15 points from eight games—five wins and three losses—while also advancing to the semifinals of the DFB Pokal.

However, under Sebastian Hoeness, they have struggled on the road at times, managing just one win and suffering three defeats in their league phase away matches.

Stuttgart will be invigorated by their recent victory, defeating Koln 3-1, with late contributions from Ermedin Demirovic and Deniz Undav to bounce back from a disappointing loss to relegation-threatened St Pauli.

Team News

Celtic is likely to be missing Alistair Johnston, Arne Engels, Callum Osmand, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Jota due to injuries.

January acquisitions Julian Araujo, Junior Adamu, and Tomas Cvancara have all been registered for the Europa League and could be included in the starting XI on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Stuttgart will have to cope without Luca Jaquez, Dan-Axel Zagadou, Lazar Jovanovic, Nikolas Nartey, and Justin Diehl, all sidelined with fitness issues.

Demirovic and Undav are in good scoring form for Stuttgart, and they are expected to continue to lead the line together at Celtic Park.

Celtic probable starting XI:

Schmeichel; Araujo, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; Nygren, McGregor, Hate; Adam, Cvancara, Maeda

Stuttgart probable starting XI:

Nubel; Assignon, Jeltsch, Chabot, Mittelstadt; Karazor, Andres; Leweling, Undav, Fuhrich; Demirovic

Celtic is on a strong streak since O’Neill’s return, and while Stuttgart are favored to secure a win in the first leg, it’s anticipated that this match will be hard-fought and likely result in a draw.