Aston Villa vs Celtic Prediction, Preview, Predicted Lineups and Team News | UEFA Champions League, January 29, 2025
Aston Villa vs Celtic Preview
- Competition: UEFA Champions League.
- Date: Wednesday, January 29.
- Time: 8:00 PM GMT.
- Venue: Villa Park.
Aston Villa vs Celtic will take place at Villa Park in the late kick-off slot in the Champions League on January 29 in the final round of group fixtures in the competition.
The Villans will enter this match in ninth place with 13 points, just outside the top eight on goal difference. They know a win will be enough for them to qualify directly. Recent form is on their side as well, as Aston Villa have secured three wins, one draw and fallen to one defeat in their last five matches. They have scored seven and conceded five goals, keeping one clean sheet in the process. However, their last match was a 1-0 defeat against Monaco and they will look to avoid that.
Celtic, on the other hand, are 18th with 12 points from seven matches. They can still qualify for the top eight in very rare circumstances, but will also have to be wary of potentially being knocked out too. Recent form has been on their side, with four wins and one draw in their last five matches across competitions. Twelve goals scored and five conceded, Celtic will draw confidence from their form to avoid defeat in their next match.
On that note, let’s take a look at the team news coming out of both camps.
Aston Villa Team News
Manager Unai Emery fielded a strong lineup in his team’s last match in the UCL but they fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat in Monaco. None of the players played particularly well, but there were no new injuries or suspensions to report.
However, Emery will be without four players next time around. Amadou Onana (hamstring), John McGinn (hamstring), Pau Torres (foot) and Ross Barkley (calf) will miss out as they continue to recover from their injuries.
Celtic Team News
Manager Brendan Rodgers fielded a strong lineup in his team’s last match as they secured a late 1-0 win. Their defenders and midfielders had good outings, but they will be without Daizen Maeda for the next match after he picked up a straight red card.
Others who will miss out are James Forrest (foot) and Odin Thiago Holm (calf) as the pair continues to recover from their injuries.
Aston Villa vs Celtic Predicted Lineups
Aston Villa Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Emi Martinez (C).
Defenders: Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne.
Midfielders: Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers.
Forwards: Leon Bailey, Emiliano Buendia, Ollie Watkins.
Celtic Predicted Lineup (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Kasper Schmeichel
Defenders: Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Greg Taylor
Midfielders: Arne Engels, Callum McGregor (C), Reo Hatate
Forwards: Nicolas-Gerrit Kuhn, Kyogo Furuhashi, Alex Valle
Aston Villa vs Celtic Head-to-Head Record
Despite their rich history of participating in and winning the UEFA Champions League, these two sides have surprisingly never locked horns in the past. This means Wednesday’s meeting will be the first-ever match between Aston Villa and Celtic.
Key Players to Watch in Aston Villa vs Celtic
Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa)
The Belgian has been the team’s top goal contributor in the Champions League alongside Jhon Duran and John McGinn. His two assists have come from just 0.84 xA, while his goal has come from just 0.33 xG as Tielemans will look to continue in the same way. In his last five games, he has completed seven take-ons, attempted two shots on target and scored one goal.
Arne Engels (Celtic)
The central midfielder has been the top contributor for Celtic in the Champions League this season with three assists and one goal. His assists have come from just 1.12 xA, while his goal came from a high 2.24 xG. The Belgian has also attempted three shots on target in his last five games, scoring two goals. Engels has also made two interceptions.
Aston Villa vs Celtic Prediction
There is no past head-to-head record to go by for these teams since it will be their first-ever meeting. Both have also been in pretty decent form of late and have shown little to no signs of crumbling. As a result, this match could be an entertaining score draw as both teams will go for the win.
Predicted Score: Aston Villa 2-2 Celtic
Where to Watch Aston Villa vs Celtic Live?
| Country | Where to Watch |
| USA | Paramount+ |
| UK | TNT Sports |
| India | SonyLIV |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. When is Aston Villa vs Celtic?
A. Aston Villa will host Celtic on Wednesday, January 29 at 8:00 PM GMT.
Q. Where can you watch Aston Villa vs Celtic for free?
A. Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream will stream the match for free.
Q. What is the predicted score for Aston Villa vs Celtic?
A. Aston Villa 2-2 Celtic.
Q. What is the recent head-to-head record for Aston Villa vs Celtic?
A. Wednesday’s match will be the first-ever meeting between Aston Villa and Celtic.