Tonight’s UEFA Europa League play-off first leg between Celtic F.C. and VfB Stuttgart had everything a big European night should — goals, intensity, and a controversial moment that had fans and pundits talking.
The Scoreline
By the 76th minute, the scoreboard read:
Celtic 1 – 3 VfB Stuttgart
with goals coming from Stuttgart’s Bilal El Khannouss (15’, 28’) and Jamie Leweling (57’), and Benjamin Nygren (21’) getting Celtic on the scoresheet.
The Disallowed Goal That Caused the Buzz
At one point during the second half, Celtic looked to have found another goal — a moment that briefly had fans seeing notifications suggesting the score might be closer. However, that strike was ultimately disallowed after a VAR review.
Here’s why this created such a stir:
What VAR Does
Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviews are used to check clear and obvious errors in key situations such as goals, penalties, or red cards. The VAR team looks for rule infringements like offside, fouls, or handball in the build-up.
In this case, the goal was called back because VAR determined an infringement in the build-up — likely an offside or foul — that wasn’t spotted in real time. That’s why the on-field referee’s initial “goal” was overturned.
Why Fans Saw the 1–3 Alert
Live score apps like FotMob or ESPN can send push notifications before a VAR check is finished. That means some fans saw a message suggesting Celtic had scored, even though the referees were still reviewing. Once VAR intervened, the notification became outdated — but by then, the alert had already reached phones.
The Aftermath
Controversial VAR decisions are now part of the modern game, and they often spark debate exactly like this one has tonight. Some fans feel VAR gets decisions right by enforcing the laws strictly, while others think it interrupts the flow or makes judgment calls confusing — especially when the initial celebration is quickly followed by silence.
Regardless of opinion, the official record at the moment remains:
Celtic 1 – 3 VfB Stuttgart, a result that puts the visitors in a strong position going into the second leg.