There was a moment on Wednesday when Martin O’Neill could have passed for a geography teacher as he scanned the room looking for someone to come up with the right answer.
The place in question was Istanbul. The Celtic manager was not, however, issuing a test to the assembled media but asking for help.
It probably said a great deal about how the veteran viewed Celtic’s chances of reaching the Europa League final this year that he hadn’t even bothered to look up the host venue for the showpiece on May 20.
He need not concern himself with that matter now. For Celtic, the end of this road will come in Germany on Thursday.
There can be no complaints about that scenario. Second best throughout against a polished Stuttgart outfit, O’Neill’s team never looked like they believed that they belong in the latter stages of this competition.
Slick and ruthless in the defining moments, Stuttgart were simply a class above anything Celtic could muster.
Tiago Tomas rounds off the scoring for Stuttgart with their killer fourth goal at Celtic Park
Martin O’Neill’s 1,000th match in the dugout could not have gone any worse
Jamie Leweling lets rips with a strike for the third which Schmeichel failed to deal with
O’Neill’s men simply lacked the quality to take down the Bundesliga giants. Had Sebastian Hoeness’ side been in the mood to inflict more punishment, you suspect they could have done so.
It said much that Celtic’s only moment of joy came from an error which allowed Benjamin Nygren to briefly square the first leg.
The Germans had struck early through Bilal El Khannouss with the Moroccan forwarded soon re-establishing their advantage.
Kasper Schmeichel didn’t cover himself in glory with El Khannouss’s first strike and concerns about his ability at this level were amplified when Jamie Leweling netted his side’s third in the second half.
You have to feel something for the 39-year-old. An outstanding keeper in his pomp, his best days are behind him. His struggles are only reflective of a club which no longer anticipates problems.
This was no way for O’Neill to mark his 1,000th game in professional management. A late fourth from Tiago Tomas rendered the return leg a formality.
Veteran Danish goalkeeper Schmeichel was left to reflect on his latest poor performance
Just a second defeat in 19 matches across his two spells in charge this season was arrived at without his side ever suggesting that they could dig out a spectacular victory.
Stuttgart had good reason to fancy securing progression with a something to spare. They’d finished 11th in the group stage and had recently moved up to fourth place in the Bundesliga.
O’Neill had no option but to go in strong. Paulo Bernardo was the only starter who might be considered a surprise.
Asked prior to the match if he would mention his all-conquering side’s aggregate triumph against the same opponent back in 2003, the manager joked that it would only ensure blank faces looking back at him.
There might have been another reason. To expect this Celtic side to replicate the exploits of the one starring the likes of Henrik Larsson would border on the absurd.
O’Neill’s hopes of a fast start didn’t materialise. Rumours that the so far fruitless talks between the Parkhead hierarchy and various supporters’ groups over various issues would result in a protest were confirmed within seconds of kick-off. Dozens of tennis balls were thrown onto the field resulting in a delay which the manager could have lived without.
The match was delayed at the outset after angry Celtic fans threw tennis balls onto the pitch
Stuttgart warmed to the task far sooner than Celtic. More comfortable on the ball, they made the Scots suffer, passing and probing and securing possession in dangerous areas.
Tomas Cvancara, who’d endured a torrid time at Borussia Monchengladbach, tried his utmost to make his mark against a familiar foe. The service into him was infrequent and little better than hopeful punts.
Celtic lacked control and imagination. At times, Stuttgart toyed with them. They were wise to the threat of Daizen Maeda and Seb Tounekti on the flanks, invariably deploying a slew of red shirts to the thwart their progress.
For all the visitors dominated the early exchanges, the manner of the opening goal would have irked the Celtic manager.
Schmeichel’s aimless kick up the park saw Tounekti beaten in the air too easily. Deniz Undav showed awareness to roll the ball into the path of El Khannouss. The forward showed neat footwork to set himself up for a shot.
Despite it being a meek effort, it still had enough purchase to beat the Celtic keeper. Not for the first time this season, the Dane looked his age.
Bilal El Khannouss scored the opener after some typically uncertain defending from Celtic
O’Neill’s men rallied to a degree. Tounekti dropped a shoulder and danced in from the left. His strike was brilliantly backed by the stooping Josha Vagnoman.
So calm did the Germans look on the ball that gifting Celtic an equaliser seemed highly unlikely. Yet, on 21 minutes, that’s precisely what happened. Goalkeeper Alexander Nubel’s straight pass to Atakan Karazor lacked conviction. Karazor’s attempt to control the ball was awful.
Nygren could hardly believe his luck. Presented with the ball after his opponent stumbled, he rounded the keeper and netted to claim his 17th goal of the season.
It should have elevated Celtic’s display. Instead, their play remained punctuated by cheap turnovers and errors.
Cvancara’s mis-control 30 yards from goal put his side on the back foot. Angelo Stiller’s whipped cross caught the boot of Tounekti. It was a stroke of fortune for the Germans. With Nygren slow to react, El Khannouss planted a header in the back of the net.
O’Neill urged his players to keep hold of the ball and to try to build something. It just didn’t materialise. They huffed and puffed towards the interval, devoid of creativity or a serious goal threat.
Bernardo stumbled over the ball at one point. He was hardly alone in struggling.
Celtic briefly had hope when Benjamin Nygren equalised after a mistake by Stuttgart’s defence
When Auston Trusty missed a routine header, Stuttgart was suddenly surging forward. Undav fed Leweling. To the considerable relief of the home fans, his effort flashed over the bar.
Celtic had to find inspiration from somewhere. Julian Araujo did his best to provide it with a barnstorming run beyond five opponents which lacked the necessary support.
There was no concerted period of pressure from Celtic. On the balance of play, the third goal, which arrived on 57 minutes, was no more than the Germans deserved.
It stemmed from a fine move down the right which saw the visitors cut Celtic apart with their one-touch passing. Undav played a smart ball across the area to Leweling. His shot from the edge of the box was decent but no more than that. Schmeichel was again beaten far too easily.
The roof threatened to fall in. Demirovic looked like he’d found the fourth with a clip over the Dane only for VAR to spot that he’d strayed offside.
Nygren thought he’d reduced the deficit to one until Nubel clawed his strike away from the bottom corner.
Any hope of Celtic pulling the tie out of the fire was dashed deep into injury time, though. With the home defence static, Tomas broke the line, controlled the ball and found the top corner. It completed a schooling.
