Celtic’s Europa League Struggles Against Stuttgart

Celtic faced a challenging evening in the Europa League, suffering a 4-1 defeat to Stuttgart, which left many fans critical of goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Schmeichel Under Fire

The 39-year-old Danish keeper was met with boos from certain groups of Celtic supporters after conceding two relatively easy goals. He struggled, especially with Bilal El Khannouss’ opening goal, where he failed to dive adequately in time, and his attempt to deflect a low shot from Jamie Leweling was similarly ineffective.

Schmeichel’s performances have come under scrutiny since his return from a shoulder injury last season, which saw him contribute to an own goal during the Scottish Cup final loss to Aberdeen.

Match Overview

Benjamin Nygren briefly leveled the score for Celtic in the first half, but Stuttgart remained dominant throughout the first leg of the knockout round. The match concluded poorly for Celtic, with Tiago Tomás sealing the win with a goal in stoppage time.

Historically, Celtic has enjoyed victories over Stuttgart, notably reaching the 2003 UEFA Cup final under the leadership of Martin O’Neill. However, the veteran manager is likely prioritizing their domestic schedule now, especially with the upcoming second leg in Germany next week.

Celtic’s away fixtures are intensifying, with four matches on the road set within a span of ten days, including two visits to Ibrox and a trip to Aberdeen.

Protest During the Match

The opening phase of the match saw a chaotic start, with numerous small orange and yellow balls thrown onto the pitch. This act was part of a protest by Celtic fans against the board’s performance and the ongoing ban on the Green Brigade ultras group.

Key Moments in the Match

• Celtic initially wasted several opportunities to produce quality set-pieces, which later led to a counter-attack.

• El Khannouss opened the scoring in the 15th minute after a series of misplaced passes by the Celtic defense, with Schmeichel’s final clearance allowing a clear shot at goal.

• Six minutes later, Nygren seized an opportunity, intercepting a pass from Stuttgart’s captain Atakan Karazor, rounding the keeper, and scoring his 16th goal this season.

• Stuttgart regained their advantage in the 28th minute, with Nygren failing to mark El Khannouss, allowing for an unchallenged header from a deflected cross.

• A third goal followed for the German side in the 57th minute, as Schmeichel misjudged a shot from Leweling, inadvertently guiding it into the net.

• The Danish player faced cascading boos from fans after each touch and was only saved from further embarrassment following a VAR intervention that disallowed an offside goal from Ermedin Demirovic.

• Nygren later attempted a shot that forced an impressive save from the Stuttgart keeper, but Celtic struggled to generate significant scoring opportunities.

• The evening concluded with a goal from Tomas in stoppage time, further echoing the discontent of the Celtic supporters who had begun to leave the stadium.