Aston Villa are scheduled to host Celtic at Villa Park on Wednesday night in the UEFA Champions League. The Villans, who are aiming to secure a spot in the last 16 are coming on the back of a 1-1 draw against West Ham United in the Premier League. Celtic, meanwhile, secured a 1-0 victory over Young Boys in the UCL, thanks to an own goal by Loris Benito in the 86th minute.
Aston Villa vs Celtic: Match Preview
Aston Villa, who have returned to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in four decades, have already secured their berth in the knockout stages. In the league phase rankings they were dropped to ninth following their most recent loss to Monaco (1-0). The Villans, who have been in fine form in the Premier League, will pose a significant challenge to Celtic, as a win could help them avoid the playoff round. Additionally, their home form is impressive, having been unbeaten in their nine matches at Villa Park.
Celtic, on the other hand, experienced mixed European performance, sitting four points ahead of Manchester City in 25th spot. A victory against Villas would help them finish in the top eight of the group. Meanwhile, they are struggling with away form this year domestically and are yet to win an away match in the Champions League.
Aston Villa vs Celtic: Head-to-Head
Aston Villa and Celtic haven’t met in any competition before. The forthcoming UEFA Champions League match scheduled to be held at Villa Park will be their first matchup. Aston Villa have experienced mixed results in tehri last five matches, securing two wins, alongside two draws and one defeat. Meanwhile, Celtic have been in fineform, having been unbeaten in their last five outings, recording four wins and one draw.
Aston Villa vs Celtic: Team News and Predicted Lineups
Tyrone Mings, who sustained a knee injury against West ham United may miss the match against Celtic. John McGinn has returned to the squad against West ham and is expected to be available for selection. Meanwhile, Amadou Onana & Ross Barkley continue to be sidelined with injuries. Pau Torres is expected to be out for around six weeks with a foot injury. Meanwhile, Celtic’s Daizen Maeda suspended for the match against Villa after receiving a red card in the win over Young Boys. James Forrest ruled out due to a foot injury while Odin Thiago Holm sidelined with a calf injury.
Aston Villa Predicted Lineup
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Digne, Maatsen; Tielemans, Kamara, Bailey, Rogers, Ramsey; Watkins
Celtic Predicted Lineup
Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Kuhn, Idah, Furuhashi
Aston Villa vs Celtic: Where to Watch
Match Day: January 29, 2025
Match Time: 3:00 PM ET
Venue: Villa Park
Television Broadcast: TNT Sports, Amazon Prime, BBC
Aston Villa vs Celtic: Match Prediction
Given the current form of Aston Villa and Celtic, the upcoming Champions League match could be a tough challenge for both teams. However, Villa’s home advantage might give them the edge as they have been strong at Villa Park this season. Despite Celtic’s impressive performance in the domestic league, their struggles away in Europe could hurt their chances.
Aston Villa and Celtic Predicted Result: 2-1 Aston Villa win
