VfB Stuttgart has booked its place in the Europa League round of 16, even though the second leg against Celtic Glasgow at home ended in an unexpected 0:1 defeat. The German team defended its substantial lead from the first leg, but the style of play and refereeing controversies dominated post-match commentary. The Glasgow side, despite a worthy performance and a historic victory on German soil, ends its European adventure this season.

Stuttgart advances to the round of 16

The German team defended its lead from Glasgow despite a 0:1 defeat in the return leg.

McCowan's lightning-fast goal

Celtic took the lead in just the 1st minute of play, giving the hosts a cold shower.

VAR in the spotlight

The system twice disallowed goals for Stuttgart, causing fury among players and staff.

The second leg of the Europa League play-off between VfB Stuttgart and Celtic Glasgow delivered emotions that fans at the MHPArena probably did not expect. The Germans, holding a three-goal advantage from the first match, lost 0:1 to the visitors. This was the first home defeat for Sebastian Hoeneß's team in the current campaign. The only goal of the match was scored by Luke McCowan in the very first minute, which introduced nervousness into the hosts' ranks. Stuttgart dominated possession and created numerous chances, but the VAR system twice disallowed goals for the hosts due to marginal offside positions. The most controversy was sparked by the decision to disallow Ermedin Demirović's goal. The Bosnian striker did not hide his frustration, questioning the precision of the lines drawn by the technical officials. This situation has sparked a discussion in Germany about introducing a so-called tolerance rule for millimeter offsides. Meanwhile, the Scottish camp, despite the win, also expressed dissatisfaction with the referees' work, particularly regarding earlier disciplinary decisions concerning Auston Trusty. Manager Martin O'Neill described the decision-making process as undermining the authority of on-field referees. Despite the loss, Stuttgart maintained its aggregate lead (4:2) and secured promotion to the next round of the competition. The German-Scottish rivalry in European cups has a rich history, dating back to the 1960s. Celtic Glasgow remains the only Scottish club to have won the European Cup (1967), while German clubs regularly dominate UEFA rankings thanks to financial and coaching stability. Celtic's victory in Stuttgart will be remembered as an honorable farewell from Europe, allowing the team to "save face" after a heavy defeat at home. Stuttgart must now draw conclusions from its lack of efficiency ahead of the upcoming round of 16 draw. It is worth noting that Angelo Stiller was in the match squad for the hosts, whose participation was in doubt until the last moment due to health problems. German media praised the fighting spirit of the Scottish team while pointing out the lack of concentration of VfB players in key defensive moments. „Ich finde es unfassbar, dass man das als Abseits wertet. Mir kann keiner sagen, dass die Linie so perfekt gezogen ist, dass die Schulter einen Millimeter im Abseits ist.” (I find it unbelievable that this is ruled as offside. No one can tell me that the line is drawn so perfectly that the shoulder is a millimeter offside.) — Ermedin Demirović

Mentioned People