Celtic suffered a damaging and likely decisive Europa League knockout play-off first-leg defeat at home to Stuttgart, with Martin O'Neill's 1,000th match as a manager ending in a chastening 4-1 loss. Bilal El Khannouss' first-half double either side of Benjamin Nygren's cool finish put the Bundesliga side firmly in control before Jamie Leweling and Tiago Tomas added second-half goals.
The visitors, who sit fourth in the Bundesliga and finished 10 places above Celtic in the league phase, looked a class apart for long spells. Celtic must now try to overturn the deficit in Germany next week, where they have never won a competitive match.
Protest and Punishment Inside the First Half
The night began in unedifying fashion as supporters threw tennis balls onto the pitch seconds after kick-off in protest at the club's board, delaying play for around three minutes. "Anybody who thinks that was a good idea needs their head examining," O'Neill said afterwards. "It helps no one."