Hinkel believes Stuttgart may have “a small advantage over the two legs because the second one is at home”.
If Celtic are looking for an added source of optimism it could perhaps come from Stuttgart’s away record in this season’s competition.
They have lost three of their four away games – at Basel, Fenerbahce and Roma.
Although it should be said there is no shame in that, and a 4-0 win at Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles is also an impressive outlier.
“The first leg at Celtic Park is important because away over the years Stuttgart had some results in the Champions League or the Europa League where they lost quite heavily,” said Hinkel.
“For example, in Belgrade they lost 5-1. If you have a game like this at Celtic Park everything can happen if the crowd is there and team gets into the rhythm and they play and attack and something can happen like that.
“Stuttgart is a very good side, they are fighting for the Champions League places in Germany but since Martin O’Neill took over again, Celtic get the results. They get results when it is not that easy – it is always close at the end, maybe in injury time.
“But they get the results and it is a good side and I think the mentality is back so I expect tight games.”