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Jamie Leweling (VfB Stuttgart) in a duel with Daizen Maeda (Celtic Glasgow).

As of: February 26, 2026 • 10:23 a.m

VfB Stuttgart goes into the Europa League playoff second leg against Celtic Glasgow with a huge lead. It should be the next step on Stuttgart’s dream journey.

VfB Stuttgart should already have the draw for the European Cup round of 16 on Friday in Nyon on their calendar. Because in the second round second leg on Thursday against Celtic Glasgow (6.45 p.m. live in the audio stream on SWR Sport), VfB Stuttgart only needs one small step to reach the round of 16 of the Europa League.

Porto or Braga are waiting for VfB Stuttgart in the round of 16

Then it will be decided in Nyon, Switzerland, which task awaits next – either FC Porto or Sporting Braga from Portugal. The Bundesliga frustration from the back and forth in the 3-3 draw in Heidenheim The DFB Cup winner would like to quickly shake it off and instead the dominance from the first leg in the Celtic “Paradise”as the stadium is also called.

Coach Sebastian Hoeneß from Bundesliga soccer club VfB Stuttgart took his players to task despite the comfortable starting position. “It doesn’t help anyone if you somehow get through tomorrow without any hesitation, then we’ll be through, but without a good feeling,” said the 43-year-old.

VfB Stuttgart dreams of Europa League final in Istanbul

Nevertheless, VfB wanted to “show our best side,” emphasized Hoeneß: “We want to win the game tomorrow and show our best possible performance. That is the goal because I am absolutely sure that it is the only way to get the result that we would like tomorrow and that will take us to the next round.”

It would be the next small step that could become a dream trip for the Swabians. “Perhaps,” said former player Sami Khedira, VfB could “imitate the Frankfurt way of 2022” – and storm to triumph in the Europa League like Eintracht. The “Stuttgart Way” seems to have been paved for the time being. There are even said to be one or two fans who have already written May 20th in their calendar – the day of the Europa League final in Istanbul – at least in pencil.

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