Hinkel believes that Stuttgart can have “a small advantage in both games because the second will be played at home.”
If Celtic look for an additional source of optimism, perhaps it could come from Stuttgart’s away record in this season’s competition.
They have lost three of their four away games: in Basel, Fenerbahce and Rome.
Although it must be said that there is nothing to be ashamed of, and a 4-0 victory against Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles is also an impressive outlier.
“The first leg at Celtic Park is important because over the years Stuttgart had some results in the Champions League or the Europa League, where they lost quite a bit,” Hinkel said.
“For example, in Belgrade they lost 5-1. If you have a game like this at Celtic Park, anything can happen if the crowd is there and the team gets into the rhythm and plays and attacks, and something like that can happen.
“Stuttgart are a very good team, they are fighting for the Champions League places in Germany, but since Martin O’Neill took over again, Celtic get results. They get results when it is not so easy, it is always close at the end, maybe in stoppage time.
“But they get the results and they are a good team and I think the mentality is back, so I expect close games.”