Celtic 1-4 VfB Stuttgart Player Ratings: Bilal El Khannouss 8.7/10 as He Nets Brace in Dominant Win

Celtic Park has witnessed countless famous European nights, but this was one the home crowd will want to forget. VfB Stuttgart delivered a ruthless, high-octane masterclass, dismantling Celtic F.C. 4-1 in a Europa League knockout clash that now feels all but decided after just one leg.

The onslaught began early. Bilal El Khannouss was simply unplayable, bagging two goals and terrorizing the Celtic defense. Celtic briefly found hope through a Benjamin Nygren equalizer, but it was a fleeting moment in a sea of Stuttgart dominance. It felt like every time Stuttgart went forward, they were going to score.

The second half only compounded the misery for the home side. A brilliant strike from Jamie Leweling and a late goal from a substitute sealed the deal. This match will be a painful one for Celtic fans to re-watch, a true tactical masterclass from the visitors. Here are the Celtic vs VfB Stuttgart player ratings.

Key Takeaways

• El Khannouss ran riot with two goals, and constant movement made him completely unplayable.
• Four goals, relentless pressing, and devastating transitions overwhelmed Celtic.
• Stuttgart controlled tempo and space, while Celtic were exposed repeatedly at the back.

Celtic Player Ratings vs VfB Stuttgart

Here are the Celtic player ratings against VfB Stuttgart.

Goalkeeper

Kasper Schmeichel - 4.0: A truly dreadful night for the veteran keeper. He was left exposed by his defense, for sure, but he made just one save all game while conceding four goals. He looked shaky and bereft of confidence. What stood out to us was how easily he was beaten for the goals.

Defenders

Liam Scales - 5.0: He was part of a backline that was completely torn apart. While he won a few aerial duels, he also lost possession 16 times. He just couldn't handle the movement and pace of the Stuttgart attackers. A very tough evening's work.

Auston Trusty - 5.5: Probably the best of a very bad bunch at the back. His passing was tidy, and he made a couple of crucial blocks, but it's hard to give a high rating when your team ships four goals. He looked overwhelmed, like the rest of his defensive partners.

Julián Araujo - 4.5: A performance to forget. He was a turnstile on the right flank, constantly caught out of position. He lost the ball far too often and offered very little going forward or defensively. It was a surprise he stayed on for the full 90 minutes.

Kieran Tierney - 6.0: One of the few who showed a bit of fight. He created three chances and tried to get his team moving forward. However, he was still part of that disastrous defensive unit and was subbed off with over ten minutes to play. A mixed bag, really.

Midfielders

Benjamin Nygren - 7.0: The only bright spark in a dark, dark night for Celtic. He took his goal well and was one of the few players who looked like he could make something happen. He deserved better from his teammates. A respectable outing amidst the chaos.

Paulo Bernardo - 5.0: Almost completely anonymous. He was on the pitch for over an hour but had minimal impact on the proceedings. The game completely passed him by, and his substitution was no surprise.

Callum McGregor - 6.0: The captain ran his socks off, but he was fighting a losing battle in midfield. He was tidy in possession but was simply overrun by Stuttgart's dynamic and aggressive midfield. He couldn't impose himself on the game at all.

Forwards

Tomas Cvancara - 5.0: Isolated and ineffective. He was bullied by the Stuttgart center-backs and offered next to no goal threat. He won a few free-kicks, but that was about the extent of his contribution before being hooked.

Sebastian Tounekti - 5.5: He had a few shots but was incredibly wasteful, failing to hit the target with his better chances. His decision-making was poor, and he lost possession far too frequently. A frustrating performance to watch.

Daizen Maeda - 5.0: A very quiet game from the usually energetic forward. He made little to no impact and was rightly substituted just after the hour mark. He looked off the pace and struggled to get involved.

Substitutes

Substitutes - 5.5: The likes of Reo Hatate, Yang Hyun-Jun, and Kelechi Iheanacho were brought on to change the game, but the damage was already done. They couldn't stem the tide or offer the spark that was desperately needed. The game was already lost.

Manager

M. O'Neill - 4.0: From our perspective, his team was completely out-thought and out-fought. The tactical setup was all wrong, leaving his defense horribly exposed. He had no answer to Stuttgart's dominance and watched his team get played off their own park.

VfB Stuttgart Player Ratings vs Celtic

Check out the VfB Stuttgart player ratings for the Celtic vs VfB Stuttgart Europa League match.

Goalkeeper

Alexander Nübel - 6.5: He didn't have much to do, which is a testament to the team in front of him. He made one decent save but couldn't do anything about Nygren's close-range finish. A comfortable and quiet evening for the keeper.

Defenders

Ramon Hendriks - 7.0: A very solid and composed performance. He was comfortable on the ball and didn't put a foot wrong defensively. He was part of a unit that completely nullified the Celtic attack.

Josha Vagnoman - 7.5: Excellent display at both ends of the pitch. He was defensively sound and provided a great attacking outlet, even creating a big chance. A modern fullback performance that caused Celtic all sorts of problems.

Jeff Chabot - 7.0: Dominant in the air and strong in the tackle. He picked up a yellow card but was a commanding presence before being substituted. He won the physical battle with Cvancara with ease.

Finn Jeltsch - 7.0: A mature performance from the defender. He read the game well, was clean in possession, and never looked flustered. He played the full match and looked a class act throughout.

Midfielders

Angelo Stiller - 8.0: He ran the show from the middle of the park. His passing was crisp and incisive, and he controlled the tempo of the entire game. A fantastic midfield performance that laid the foundation for the win.

Bilal El Khannouss - 9.0: Unquestionably the man of the match. He was simply sensational. Two well-taken goals and a constant threat with his movement and skill. Celtic had no answer for him. A truly world-class display and our highest-rated player.

Atakan Karazor - 6.0: The one blemish on an otherwise perfect team performance. His error led directly to the Celtic goal. Outside of that costly mistake, he was solid enough, but it's a moment that blots his copybook significantly.

Jamie Leweling - 8.5: Scored a fantastic goal from outside the box and was a menace all night. His direct running and energy were too much for the Celtic defence to handle. A brilliant performance capped with a goal.

Deniz Undav - 8.5: The puppet master. He didn't score, but he pulled all the strings, providing two assists and creating four chances in total. His intelligence and vision were on a different level. A magnificent creative performance.

Forwards

Ermedin Demirovic - 7.0: He was unlucky to have a goal ruled out by VAR. He worked tirelessly, held the ball up well, and was a physical handful for the Celtic defenders. A selfless and effective shift leading the line.

Substitutes

Tiago Tomás - 7.5: The perfect impact sub. He came on late and put the final nail in the coffin with a well-taken goal. You can't ask for much more than that. Other subs helped maintain control and see out the game comfortably.

Manager

S. Hoeneß - 9.0: A tactical masterclass. His game plan was executed to perfection. His team pressed high, attacked with purpose, and exposed every single Celtic weakness. A flawless away performance from the manager.

Man of the Match

Bilal El Khannouss was the man of the match.

Worst Performer

Kasper Schmeichel was the worst performer.