Sebastian Hoeneß’ VfB Stuttgart have managed to avoid the European fate of their Bundesliga counterparts Borussia Dortmund. The Bundesliga Europa League representatives are through to the 2025/26 UEL Round-of-16 after besting Celtic 4-2 on aggregate. Stuttgart concluded a mixed week for German footballing representatives still alive in European competitions in Thursday’s home second round playoff leg against Martin O’Neill’s Bhoys.

Whereas Dortmund blew their two-goal lead in the second round of their Champions League playoff tie against Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen were able to preserve their aggregate lead and advance past Olympiacos via a 0-0 draw at the BayArena on Tuesday. Three more German footballing representatives also join Stuttgart and Leverkusen in remaining alive in the three European tournament . 

Bundesliga clubs who managed to bypass the playoffs in their respective competitions include Bayern Munich (Champions League), Freiburg (Europa League), and Mainz (Conference League). Dortmund follow Eintracht Frankfurt to the sidelines of European competition in the current cycle. 

A Stuttgart squad markedly different from both the one that lined up at Parkhead last week and the XI deployed against Heidenheim over the weekend ended up conceding an early goal. Celtic’s Freiburg loanee Junior Adamu played in Callum McGregor just seconds after kickoff. Before any of the VfB professionals had their chance to get their heads into the game (and it showed) the 63-times-capped Scottish international put the guests ahead. McGregor slotted home the 0-1 past a bunch of stumbling players in white well before 30 seconds had been played. 

As it turned out, McGregor’s opening goal would serve as the loan Celtic shot-on-target in the first half. While O’Neill’s Scotsmen continued to play bravely during the opening quarter-of-an-hour, Hoeneß’ charges wrested back control of the match quickly enough. Stuttgart pinned the guests back in their own half from the 10th minute onward. Jamie Leweling, Badredine Bouanani, and Tiago Tomas all produced multiple quality efforts. Celtic keeper Viljami Sinisalo, in after Kasper Schmeichel conceded several soft goals in the opening leg, nevertheless ensured that the 0-1 scoreline held. 

Former German international Chris Führich, on for Leweling at the half, immediately created danger after his introduction. After nearly setting up Bouanani in the 46th-minute, Führich thought he had scored the 1-1 68th. The supposed equalizer was nevertheless disallowed due to Führich’s offside position. Deniz Undav also saw a goal chalked off due to offside in the 75th. Amid all of this, Bouanani and Tomas came agonizingly close to scoring during more uninterrupted Stuttgart dominance in the second 45.

The final 0-1 scoreline notwithstanding, the German hosts were by far the better team.

Alexander Nübel (5) –  Maximilian Mittelstädt (6), Luca Jaquez (4), Finn Jeltsch (5), Joscha Vagnoman (5) – Chema Andres (5), Atakan Karazor (6) – Jamie Leweling (7), Tiago Tomas (8), Badredine Bouanani (8)  – Deniz Undav (8)

Substitutes: Chris Führich (8), Ermedin Demirovic (7), Angelo Stiller (7), Ramon Henriks (-), Bilal El Khannouss (-)

GGFN Player of the Match: Badredine Bouanani (8)

There are actually a great many attacking players to choose from in this instance. Stuttgart fans may absolutely relish the fact that Chris Führich (8), Deniz Undav (8), Tiago Tomas (8), Jamie Leweling (7), Ermedin Demirovic (7), and Angelo Stiller (7) all continue to display fine form. Bouanani narrowly edges out the ultra lively Führich in this case as the Algerian may have absolutely played his very best match in a VfB tricot.

Considered to be a total transfer flop when juxtaposed against his fellow North African summer addition Bilal El Khannouss, Bouanani has yet to record a single scorer point in the Bundesliga. The 21-year-old has still shone in the Europa League, delivering two goals during the group phase of the competition. With four shots on target this evening, Bouanani was unlucky not to add another goal to his UEL account here. 

Bouanani also sent five crosses into the box on the night, several of which might have resulted in an assist. Bouanani’s near misses at goal came in the 16th, 46th, and 65th minutes. While the former Lille academy man could have done a better job controlling the ball during his chance just after the restart, he was brutally robbed by Celtic keeper Sinisalo on the other two occasions.