In the second leg of the UEFA Europa League round of 32, VfB Stuttgart will host Celtic Glasgow at their home stadium. The hosts have a comfortable three-goal lead to defend, secured a week ago in the away first leg. Ahead of the clash, Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß warned against overconfidence, emphasizing the strength and quality of the Scottish opponent. Good news for the team from Baden-Württemberg is the return to full fitness of key midfielder Angelo Stiller, who was previously struggling with an injury. The match will take place on Wednesday, February 26, at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

Stuttgart's three-goal advantage

The result of the first leg in Glasgow was 3:0 for VfB Stuttgart, giving the German team a significant lead ahead of the second leg at their home stadium. Celtic must overcome a three-goal deficit to even think about advancing.

Return of the key midfielder

Angelo Stiller, an important Stuttgart midfielder, is now fully fit after an injury and will be available for the match against Celtic. His presence strengthens the German team ahead of the decisive clash.

Coach Hoeneß's warning

VfB coach Sebastian Hoeneß publicly warned his players against underestimating the opponent. He emphasized that Celtic is a powerful team that will fight until the end, despite the unfavorable result from the first match.

Date and venue of the second leg

The match will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 2026, at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart. It will be the decisive match for advancement to the Europa League round of 16.

VfB Stuttgart is preparing for Wednesday's second leg of the Europa League round of 32 against Celtic Glasgow from a comfortable position. The German club, after a 3:0 away victory at Celtic Park, has almost secured advancement, but coach Sebastian Hoeneß is fervently tempering optimism within his team. „Celtic is a great club with a huge history. We cannot afford the slightest relaxation” – he argued in the pre-match press conference, as quoted by German media. His words aim to protect the team from the psychological trap of overconfidence, which could squander the existing advantage. A key piece of news before the match is the full fitness of Angelo Stiller. The midfielder, who was previously a squad doubt, has fully rejoined training and is ready to play. His presence in the center of the pitch strengthens Hoeneß's tactical options. For Celtic, the task seems almost impossible – they must win in Stuttgart by at least three goals to even think about extra time and potential penalties. The Scottish champions will have to risk offensive play from the first minutes, which could open up space for the hosts' quick counter-attacks. 3 — Stuttgart's goals advantage from the first leg The match will take place on Wednesday, February 26, at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. For VfB Stuttgart, advancing to the Europa League round of 16 would be a significant success this season and confirmation of the good form of the team led by Hoeneß. For Celtic, defeat in the tie would mean the end of European dreams this season, which in Glasgow is always treated as a serious disappointment.Result of the first leg in the Europa League round of 32: Celtic Glasgow 0:3 VfB Stuttgart

Mentioned People

  • Sebastian Hoeneß — Coach of VfB Stuttgart, who warned his team against underestimating Celtic ahead of the second leg.
  • Angelo Stiller — VfB Stuttgart midfielder, who returned to full fitness after an injury ahead of the second leg match against Celtic.