Celtic confirmed starting XI vs Stuttgart: 8 changes from Hibs heartache as criticised star taken out of firing line
Martin O’Neill has named his Celtic starting line-up to face Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart in their Europa League knockout play-off second leg in Germany
Martin O’Neill has named his Celtic starting XI to face Stuttgart for the second leg of their Europa League knockout play-off tie at the MHP Arena in Germany.
The Scottish champions have it all to do against the Bundesliga high-flyers if they are to overturn a disappointing 4-1 first-leg defeat in Glasgow’s east end last Thursday.
That result was followed up with a 2-1 Premiership loss at home to Hibs and with an old Firm derby looming this weekend, the Hoops have travelled to Germany with one eye already on facing Rangers.
The Germans are in a strong position to finish the job and progress to the last-16 of the competition for the first time since 2013 on the back of last week’s impressive display at Parkhead. They were, however, held to a 3-3 draw by Heidenheim on the domestic front, giving Celtic a glimmer of hope that they can pull off a miracle.
Team news: 8 changes, Criticised star taken out of firing line
O’Neill makes EIGHT changes to his starting line-up from the side that lost 2-1 at home to Hibs in the Scottish Premiership last weekend.
Most notably, first-choice goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has been taken out of the firing line after a string of high-profile mistakes of late, replaced by understudy Viljami Sinisalo between the sticks. Colby Donovan, Dane Murray, Marcelo Saracchi are drafted into the backline, while Luke McCowan and Reo Hatate start in midfield.
It’s a new-look frontline comprising of Yang Hyun-jun and Daizen Maeda supporting Junior Adamu up top. There’s a place among the substitutes for youngsters Sean McArdle and Thomas Hatton, who will be eager to gain some vital experience of European football.
What Tomas Cvancara has said pre-match
“It’s still not over. We are still in the European competition and we have to do everything possible on the pitch to keep going. We know that it will be a difficult game, they already showed their quality in our stadium.
“We are focused on this game and we have to go for it. We have conceded some goals too easily, but I would say that we have a lot of quality in the team.
“For us, we just have to focus on ourselves now and keep going.”
Here's your confirmed starting XI’s ahead of this evening’s make-or-break European clash in Germany...
VfB Stuttgart:
Alexander Nubel; Josha Vagnoman, Maximilian Mittelstadt, Tiago Tomas, Luca Jaquez, Atakan Karazor (C), Jamie Leweling, Deniz Undav, Badredine Bouanani, Finn Jeltsch, Chema Andres.
SUBS: Fabian Bredlow (GK), Florian Hellstern (GK), Ameen Al Dakhil, Ramon Hendriks, Angelo Stiller, Nikolas Nartey, Ermedin Demirovic, Chris Fuhrich, Bilal El Khannouss, Lorenz Assignon, Mirza Catovic
Celtic:
Viljami Sinisalo; Colby Donovan, Dane Murray, Auston Trusty, Marcelo Saracchi, Callum McGregor (C), Reo Hatate, Luke McCowan, Yang Hyun-jun, Daizen Maeda, Junior Adamu.