Celtic's Europa League hopes were dashed after a 4-1 home defeat by Stuttgart in the knockout play-off first leg. The game was marred by fan protests, with supporters booing their own goalkeeper, Kasper Schmeichel, and the club's board. Celtic's manager, Martin O'Neill, expressed frustration with the fan protests and the team's performance, stating that they were 'masters of their own downfall'. The German side, currently fourth in the Bundesliga, looked a class apart throughout the match, with Celtic struggling to keep up. Despite a brief lapse from Stuttgart's captain, Celtic couldn't capitalize and ultimately suffered a brutal wake-up call. The last time Celtic won a knockout tie in Europe was against Barcelona in 2004, during O'Neill's first spell. The team's recent form has been inconsistent, with Celtic scoring stoppage-time winners in their previous three fixtures. However, the defeat to Stuttgart highlighted the challenges they face in Europe, with the team now having a monumental task to turn the tie around in Germany next week and progress to the competition's last-16. The performance was summed up by the sight of Julian Araujo, the match-winner at Kilmarnock on Sunday, sliding a huge chance wide in the final seconds. This defeat comes at a critical time for Celtic, with their focus now shifting to the Scottish Premiership.
