Aston Villa vs Celtic: Champions League Showdown & Predictions

A Battle of Britain in the Champions League

Aston Villa and Celtic go head-to-head in a thrilling Champions League clash on Wednesday night at Villa Park. Both teams have already secured their place in the knockout phase, but a direct passage to the last 16 is still at stake.

Match Details

• Location: Villa Park, Birmingham, England
• Date: Wednesday, January 29, 2025
• Kick-off Time: 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT
• Referee: Clement Turpin (FRA)
• VAR: Jerome Brisard (FRA)

Head-to-Head Record

This will be the first-ever competitive meeting between Aston Villa and Celtic. The two British sides have never clashed in a European competition before, making this a historic encounter.

Current Form

Aston Villa (Last 5 Matches)

• Aston Villa 1-1 West Ham (26/01/25)
• Monaco 1-0 Aston Villa (21/01/25)
• Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa (18/01/25)
• Everton 0-1 Aston Villa (15/01/25)
• Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham (10/01/25)

Celtic (Last 5 Matches)

• Celtic 1-0 Young Boys (22/01/25)
• Celtic 2-1 Kilmarnock (18/01/25)
• Dundee 3-3 Celtic (14/01/25)
• Ross County 1-4 Celtic (11/01/25)
• Celtic 2-0 Dundee United (08/01/25)

Where to Watch Aston Villa vs Celtic

Team News & Predicted Lineups

Aston Villa Team News

Villa face defensive challenges with Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres ruled out due to injuries. With Diego Carlos leaving in January, Ezri Konsa remains the only senior center-back, likely forcing Lucas Digne into an emergency role.

In midfield, Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley are out, though John McGinn returned against West Ham and is expected to feature off the bench. New signings Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia are ineligible until the knockout phase.

Aston Villa Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)

Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Digne, Maatsen; Tielemans, Kamara; Bailey, Rogers, Ramsey; Watkins.

Celtic Team News

Celtic have lost star striker Kyogo Furuhashi to Rennes, while Jota has rejoined but is ineligible. James Forrest is injured, and Daizen Maeda is suspended after his red card against Young Boys.

Celtic Predicted Lineup (4-3-3)

Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Kuhn, Idah, Palma.

Score Prediction

Villa will be eager to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Monaco, with home support providing a crucial boost. Defensive injuries could expose them, but Celtic’s recent squad changes might limit their attacking threat.

Prediction: Aston Villa 2-1 Celtic

What Do You Think?

Will Aston Villa secure a top-eight finish with a win, or can Celtic pull off a surprise victory? Drop your predictions in the comments below!