GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - APRIL 11: Celtic huddle ahead of kick off during the William Hill Premiership between Celtic and St. Mirren at Celtic Park on April 11, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
Martin O’Neill has made three changes to the Celtic side that started at Kilmarnock for tonight’s Europa League tie against Stuttgart.
The biggest decision is in midfield where Paulo Bernardo replaces Reo Hatate.
The Portuguese midfielder didn’t make the squad against Livingston or Kilmarnock but finds himself in from the start tonight as O’Neill looks for afresh impact from the centre of the park.
In attack Tomas Cvancara and Sebastian Tounekti are rewarded for their impact at Kilmarnock with starting places. Daizen Maeda retains his place but could be switched to the right wing.
On the bench Kelechi Iheanacho is restored with the former Leicester striker not starting a match since the League Cup Final defeat on December 14.
O’NEILL AND THE STUTTGART UPDATE
Stuttgart are currently sitting in fourth place in the Bundesliga, beating Cologne 3-1 at home at the weekend. Fourth place provides a place in the Champions League but Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen are both within range of the lucrative position.
In the Europa League they finished in 11th place with 15 points, four ahead of Celtic who finished in 21st place.
The German side lost three out of their four away matches. In their January matches they lost 2-0 away to Roma before finishing the section with a 3-2 home win over YB Berne.
Before the return leg Stuttgart travel to Heidenheim in the Bundesliga while Celtic host Hibs in the SPFL Premiership.
Celtic will be able to call on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for the game against Hibs but the former Liverpool midfielder was signed after the Europa League squad was named.
Julian Araujo, Tomas Cvancara and Junior Adamu were named in Celtic’s Europa squad with Johnny Kenny, Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Callum Osmand dropping out.
Tonight’s match officials have all been selected from Belgium.
CELTIC: Schmeichel; Araujo. Trusty, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Bernardo, Nygren; Tounekti, Cvancara, Maeda
SUBS: Sinosalo, Doohan, Adamu, Yang, McCowan, Iheanacho, Saracchi, Hatate, Murray, Forrest, Donovan, Ralston
My grandad would be better in goal than Casper…and he’s been deed for years.
He is done.
Another home game where the AWAY support are heard throughout the game..
That’s Fkd up considering how much of a reputation “The mighty Glasgow Celtic ” HAD-and i put a heavy scratch under HAD…
It’s pathetic
GB badly missed or maybe those halfwits who run the club are happy with patheticness…sorry sight to witness.
Getting out sang by the away support from start to finish every home game
But those running the club talking about ‘ Unity ‘
Unity – These Ba*tards are causing more trouble for Celtic supporters than The Fu**in Loyalists did for Celtic supporters in The Unity Flats !
The team and the Board are an absolute embarrassment !
Just glad that our Europa League run is all but over, and a game closer to Schmeichel’s retirement.