Why Sebastian Hoeneß's VfB Stuttgart can win the Europa League
Leading Celtic 4-1 at the halfway stage in the Europa League play-off round, VfB Stuttgart are mounting a serious challenge in this season’s competition. Here’s why Sebastian Hoeneß’s charges can go the entire way…
With 19 goals in nine games, the Swabians are the competition's top scorers. Bilal El Khannouss struck a brace - placing the Moroccan joint-third in the goalscoring rankings with five goals - as Stuttgart exhibited a finishing masterclass, brushing aside their Scottish counterparts to put the Bundesliga club in a comfortable position ahead of the return leg.
Additionally, Deniz Undav and Ermedin Demirović - who had a goal ruled out for offside - are in excellent form themselves. Undav has already plundered six goals and provided seven assists in all competitions in 2026 while his Bosnian teammate has returned five goals.
Possessing two of Europe’s clinical goal-getters, VfB’s attacking duo are a force to be reckoned with. What’s more, Hoeneß has a plethora of attacking talent at his disposal with Jamie Leweling and Tiago Tomás also among the goals in Glasgow.
Watch: Every Undav goal this season
“This big win puts us in a very good position going into the second leg,” remarked Demirović. “It was a good team performance. We defended really well together and were clinical up front.”
Stuttgart’s statement win over Celtic has also put Europa League participants on red alert, and rightly so. VfB have picked up maximum points at home in this season’s competition, establishing the MHPArena into a fortress with 11 goals in four games which included key victories over Celta Vigo, Feyenoord and Young Boys.
Securing just their second away win in this season’s edition, Leweling lauded his team’s performance against Celtic. “It’s always been hard away from home, so a 4-1 win here is a statement,” he said.
But although a comfortable victory, Hoeneß has kept his troops grounded ahead of the return leg. “We want to see it over the line next week and go through to the next round, but we won’t make the mistake of thinking that we’re already there,” said VfB’s tactician.
Overcoming Celtic will set up a favourable clash against one of Porto or Braga. Just two points separated Stuttgart and their potential round of 16 opponent in the league phase and with their uptick in form coming at a crucial period in the season, Hoeneß’s men continue to march on.
Attacking on all fronts, Stuttgart have scored 26 goals and recorded three clean sheets since the turn of the year and with just two defeats in 11 games across all competitions in 2026, the Swabians are in sensational form with their only losses coming against Roma and St. Pauli.
Watch: Stuttgart start 2026 in style
Possessing a finely balanced team, VfB boast one of the strongest squads in the 2025/26 Europa League season, blending youth with experience to create a strong spine.
Shot-stopper Alexander Nübel provides solidity between the sticks while Finn Jeltsch, having won the prestigious 2025 Fritz Walter Gold medal in the Under-19s category, has established himself at the heart of defence alongside the experienced Jeff Chabot.
In midfield, Angelo Stiller continues to make a name for himself in the engine room. Only four players have completed more passes in this season’s competition than the German’s 504. Having formed a formidable partnership with Atakan Karazor and young Spaniard Chema Andrés waiting in the wings, VfB are well stocked and with Undav and Co. firing on all cylinders in the final third are developing themselves into a powerhouse once again.
With a runners-up finish in the Bundesliga in 2024 and last year's DFB Cup triumph, Hoeneß has instilled a winning mentality within the club. Advancing past Celtic places Stuttgart in an excellent position to mount a European charge as the Swabians continue their fine campaign.
Related news
Matchday 23 probable teams
Jonas Urbig is set for a stint in the Bayern starting line-up after an injury to first-choice goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
Why Stuttgart will advance against Celtic
Sebastian Hoeneß's side boast a healthy first-leg advantage as they look to get through the play-offs and reach the UEFA Europa League last 16.
Who's in the race for Europe?
With only three months of the 2025/26 campaign left to play, the race for the European spots is hotting up. We run the rule over the contenders...