By JOHN MCGARRY

Published: 20:22, 26 February 2026 | Updated: 20:26, 26 February 2026

They did not go gentle into the night. As expected, Celtic’s interest in the Europa League came to an end. The manner in which the curtain came down on Martin O’Neill and his players for another year proved to be a pleasant surprise for all who witnessed it.

Having watched their side being torn asunder 4-1 in the first leg in Glasgow last week, many visiting supporters might have questioned the wisdom in leaving the bars in Stuttgart in the afternoon for a vantage point in the MHP Arena.

Bluntly, seeing Celtic fall to a worse aggregate defeat than the 5-0 hammering by Juventus 16 years ago seemed eminently possible.

By the end of the evening, though, those fears were wholly misplaced. A much-changed side showed character in abundance and left the stage with their heads held high.

They ran their hearts out and restored a degree of pride by showing the kind of spirit which has been conspicuous by its absence far too often this season.

While...