Celtic v VfB Stuttgart - Martin O'Neill's 1000th game

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Celtic fans show off their flags during the UEFA Cup fourth round second leg match between VFB Stuttgart and Glasgow Celtic held on February 27, 2003 at The Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium, in Stuttgart, Germany. VFB Stuttgart won the match 3-2, with Celtic winning the tie 5-4 on aggregate. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty images)

Q: To what extent is this game against Stuttgart your toughest test in these two spells this season?

Martin O’Neill: “Oh, yeah, without a doubt it would be, yeah, the toughest one, considering the position that they’re in, considering the opposition and considering the league that they are in as well too. So this would be pretty tough.”

Head coach Sebastian Hoeness of VfB Stuttgart looks on during the Bundesliga match between FC St. Pauli and VfB Stuttgart at Millerntor Stadium on February 07, 2026 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Selim Sudheimer/Getty Images)

German media Q: Would you please share some more of your thoughts about your opponent tomorrow and your opponent as a manager, Sebastian Hoeness, in particular?

Martin O’Neill: “Yeah, well, way back in 2003, when I was a much younger man, we had the two games against Stuttgart. We were a very fine side. We won the first game 3-1 and Stuttgart had a man sent off as well too, so that obviously helped us.

“And then we scored two early goals there in Stuttgart. So we were flying at the time, and we thought, yeah, this is going to be fine. We were hanging on at the end in the game and Stuttgart, I think they had a chance about 10 minutes to go in the match and had they scored then, another one would have put us out.

“So that’s from an almost invincible position that we were in, to be hanging on at the end. And Stuttgart were a very fine side then. So for us, over the two games, to come through was big news for us. And as for the present team, yeah, just as I mentioned earlier there, I have watched them, we’ve had scouts out watching them live and the reports coming back are the same things that I see for myself on the screen. Really, really, really fine team.”