Match Pictures | Matches: 2024 – 2025
Trivia
- KO: 20:00 UK time; TNT Sports TV
- Champions League, Group Match 8; final group match, post-Dec due to new format.
- Celtic end up 21st with -1GD (3 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses, 13 goals & 14 conceded) (but already had made the playoffs) will face either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. Aston Villa just make it into 8th so avoid the playoffs. Teams went out on 11pts which was thought at the start to be enough to get you thru.
- Two European Cup games in a row, last Saturday’s league game was cancelled due to weather issues.
- Villa 8th in their domestic league.
- Aston Villa’s captain is John McGinn whose grandfather was once Celtic chairman. Celtic were close to once signing the player but were gazumped by Villa.
- Celtic & Aston Villa already qualified for playoffs but Villa want win to make top 8, and Celtic want win to make seeded playoff spots. Villa wanted to win by a good margin to better Bayer Leverkusen’s goal difference.
- First time Celtic & Aston Villa have ever played each other in a competitive fixture.
- Tickets for home fans (adults) minimum £85! Extortionate. Away fans prices capped by Uefa but small allocation with incredibly strict guidelines.
- Celtic received another disciplinary notice from Uefa after a smoke bomb was thrown on to the pitch.
Post-note:Celtic fans permitted to attend the Champions League clash against Bayern Munich in Germany after being handed a UEFA reprieve. Were on a suspended ban on away supporters when hit with a disciplinary notice after a green smoke canister was thrown from among the visiting fans during 4-2 defeat at Villa. €10k fine, but this is so close to the bone with reprieves. - Villa’s Rogers: First player in CL history to score twice in opening five minutes:
- Four teams Celtic faced are in bottom 12 and already ko’ed by this final round.
- Maeda suspended due to red card from last game. CCV out injured. He will miss the first leg of the playoff ties after UEFA confirmed he will have to serve a two-match ban.
Post-note: Celtic successfully appealed and got the ban down to one match, so he was able to lay in the first playoff tie. - Reputedly the UK’s royal second in line, William Windsor, is an Aston Villa fan! He was in attendance at this match! Ex-Rangers manager Souness complained of chants made at William Windsor’s direction.
- Jota and Kyogo transfers/swap from/to Rennes confirmed & completed.
- Valle loan to Celtic ended early, moves to Como on loan.
- Youth player Josh Dede moves to Middlesborough (he never played in comp game for Celtic).
- Reports: PAOK, Olympiacos and Panathanaikos after Palma as are various others. Held initial talks with Odense centre-back Tobias Slotsager’s reps. Struggling to reach agreement with Arsenal to take Kieran Tierney on loan despite pre-agreement signed to come in the summer. Valle loan ending early he’s to move to Como. Brondby want £14m for reported target Mathias Kvistgaarden. Norwegian club Sarpsborg will demand a package of more than £7m to sell winger Sondre Orjasaeter. Brendan Rodgers says he is not aware of any transfer bid for Orjasaeter. Randers forward Tammer Any interest for various clubs inc Celtic supposedly. Lagerbielke for 3m to FC Twente.
- Transfer window:
- In: Jota returns to Celtic from Rennes (est £8m);
Out: Stephen Welsh to KV Mechelen (Belgium) on loan till end of season. Holm on loan to LA FC in the MLS for 2024. Kyogo to Rennes est £10m. Valle loan to Celtic ended early, he moves to Como on loan.
Bernabei sold to SC Internacional (Brazil) est £4.6m (rising to £5m with addons). Josh Dede moves to Middlesborough . - Youth players: Celtic youth player Kyle Ure signs new deal with Celtic. Daniel Cummings future not yet set but expected to be move on despite talks that Kyogo departure could help give him an opportunity. B Team Captain Mitchell Robertson signs new two-year deal.
- Stuart Kettlewell resigned as Motherwell manager citing personal abuse received during a recent downturn in results.
- Ex-Celt Adam Matthews signed for Shamrock Rovers.
Summary
“I played before in the Champions League against them with another club and as always the atmosphere, of course, tomorrow’s in Villa Park, but there are going to be, as well, supporters of Celtic here and it’s very good to enjoy football like that, very deep football.”
Villa manager pre match Unai Emery
Brendan Rodgers has spoke of his pride at “playing our part in a really good game”.
“It was a brilliant game to be involved in. The word that strikes me at the moment is pride. We’re coming to a team that over the last couple of years have been at the highest level in the Premier League. We played with so much courage. They get the first goal and a quick second and then there’s a question asked of you as a team, everything about you. But the players continued to play, we started to get into contention, got our aggression back and that gave us the opportunity. We scored two very good goals, and overall to take the game to injury time was a great effort. We’re obviously disappointed to lose but we played our part in a really good game. That was always the objective, to come in and be competitive at this level. You see the work we need to do to improve the squad, to really be able to sustain that challenge. We were having to bring on young players who haven’t played for Celtic before.”
“Yeah, mad, surreal,” responded Rogers on walking out at Villa Park against Celtic. “It probably tops the Bayern game. I reckon so because that away end, especially when they got them two goals back, I have never seen an away end like that since I have been here. I love it, the more noise, I love it, especially when our backs are against it. Our fans are a bit quieter than theirs and it’s down to us to lift them again. I put that pressure on myself.”
Aston Villa’s hat-trick hero Rogers
Chris Sutton: “Celtic have earned the right to be in the play-offs. There is no doubt that Celtic will go into a tie with either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich as massive underdogs, but they have earned the right to be in the play-offs. I have been pleasantly suprised by them in this Champions League campaign. They have shown maturity and that they have made progress.”
BBC’s McFadden: It was a great game. An unbelievable start for Villa, and you thought maybe this would be a long night. Celtic got themselves back in the game with some really good play, but Villa dominated the second half. They controlled the tempo of the game, and it was a really strong performance. Celtic stuck at it and you have to give them credit. They stuck to it and put everything into it. They can take some confidence from it because at times they looked good.
Joebloggscity of TheCelticWiki:Prior to the start of this match Celtic were clearly weaker than in recent matches, with Maeda suspended, CCV out injured, Kyogo sold and newly returned Jota not permitted to play yet. Both sides qualified for the playoffs but the match wasn’t strictly a dead rubber as wanted a win to make the top 8 (Villa) or just to push up to make the seeded playoff spots (Celtic). In truth, few Celtic fans were optimistic ahead of the match to get anything out of this one.
After just the first 5mins, Celtic were incredibly two down and “Dortmund” was on the mind of everyone. However, Celtic regrouped albeit Aston Villa were mostly on top, but a fightback was totally unexpected only for two exceptional goals from the underfire Idah sending the Celtic fans into rapture. However, Villa were the better side on the day and deserved their win with two goals in the second half (albeit the last goal was a late one). A penalty was wrongly given to Villa and incredibly NOT overturned by VAR, however the miss will be replayed in football blooper reals for a long while to come.
A good day for Celtic in that we competed, especially when down a few key men. Be proud!
Fatboab of KDS forum:We both kind of do the same thing, only the price and quality is different.
Villa , I think, are what we aim to be. A modern football team built on pace and ability to move the ball quickly, a team that closes down space when they lose the ball and are comfortable in possession, unafraid to change the angle of attack.
It’s all pretty much based on the brilliant Barcelona team of a decade or so ago.
The one big difference was Villa opted to go long , especially in the second half, mainly because of our somewhat inexplicable defensive set up, where we were happy to leave Trusty ‘ one on one’ with Watkins, a tactic that gave them a lot of success.
We should use this much more when possible in League games.
However, it was old faults that finally killed us. The third goal was a goal we’ve lost countless times in the last decade, pressing far too high up the pitch and leaving a cavernous gap in the midfield, then getting caught on the counter. It’s a story as old as time itself, and each and every Celtic team this Century has been guilty of it ( Strachans team s excepted a bit ).
We need a proper defensive midfielder in Europe, not just Calmac sitting deeper, and we need to be telling our centre halves ( Scales ) not to venture across the halfway line.
All that said, we showed an amazing amount of bottle to recover from an embarrassing start, and hopefully Adam Idah has found good form at the right time.
Lots of positives then, especially still having CL football in February, but still some very familiar failings that we really do need to address.
Fingers crossed for Munich rather than Madrid.
Andrew H Smith @AndrewH_CelticU · 11m All the guff about Celtic showing a lack of ambition for selling Kyogo this week was tonight exposed as utter bull. Some folk can’t see beyond their noses. I’d advise all in the Celtic fraternity to show more intellectual rigour than those paid to be knee jerk. Don’t be them.
E-Tims @ETimsNet · 1h FT Villa 4 Celtic 2 Better team won in the end. No complaints. Proud of our team having qualified and fighting back from two goal deficit within first five mins. Could have folded. Kept going. Played good fitba. Lack of quality in areas. CCV and Maeda big misses
Inside The SPFL @AgentScotland · 8m What a performance from Adam Idah tonight, had a near on perfect individual game, worked his socks off, was always available for an outball, linked up well when he could and got in the box and on the end of chances, his first finish is so underrated, adjusted his shape superbly.
Billy Martin @billymartin.bsky.social · 1h I can’t even be mad if Celtic lose tonight. They played brilliantly start to end. I’d prefer they win but they really gave everything, even when they were down. They didn’t lay down and take it.
The Cynic @90minutecynic.bsky.social · 8h Lots to be positive about tonight and lots to highlight too. The bench offered very little in terms of game changers. Maeda and Jota to come in and hopefully today is a reset for Idah. The drop off from CCV to Scales is rather stark. Young Murray will learn from tonight.
John G @john-g24.bsky.social · 7h Play-off was the target but the fact we have been competitive across all (except one) of our European games is a sign of massive progress.
Teams
Celtic
Manager: Brendan Rodgers
Formation: 4 – 3 – 3
01 K. Schmeichel
03 G. Taylor
05 L. Scales, subbed for D. Murray at 83mins
06 A. Trusty
02 A. Johnston
41 R. Hatate, subbed for L. McCowan at 83mins
42 C. McGregor (c), Captain
27 A. Engels, subbed for Paulo Bernardo at 73mins
13 Yang Hyun-Jun, subbed for L. Palma at 73mins
09 A. Idah, subbed for D. Cummings at 79mins
10 N. Kühn
Subs:
29 S. Bain
55 D. Cummings
28 Paulo Bernardo
14 L. McCowan
37 A. Montgomery
47 D. Murray
17 M. Nawrocki
07 L. Palma
56 A. Ralston
12 V. Sinisalo
Goals:
A. Idah (36′, 38′)
Assists:
R. Hatate (38′)
Aston Villa
Manager: Unai Emery
Formation: 4-2-3-1
23 E. Martínez (c), Captain
12 L. Digne, subbed for I. Maatsen at 74mins
44 B. Kamara
04 E. Konsa
02 M. Cash, subbed for J. McGinn at 30mins
08 Y. Tielemans
26 L. Bogarde
41 J. Ramsey
27 M. Rogers
31 L. Bailey
11 O. Watkins
Subs:
09 J. Durán
22 I. Maatsen
07 J. McGinn
20 K. Nedeljković
25 R. Olsen
66 T. Patterson
50 S. Swinkels
72 K. Young
48 O. Zych
Goals:
M. Rogers (3′, 5′, 90’+1),
O. Watkins (60′)
Assists:
J. Ramsey (3′, 60′),
O. Watkins (5′, 90’+1)
Referee Clément Turpin
Video Assistant Referee Jerome Brisard
Assistant Referee 1 Nicolas Danos
Assistant Referee 2 Benjamin Pages
Fourth Official Romain Lissorgue
Assistant VAR Official Rob Dieperink
Att: 42,824
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Match Links
Stats
Overall possession
Aston Villa 58.4% Celtic 41.6%
Aston Villa 3.7911 Celtic 0.8154
Shots
Aston Villa 20 Celtic 6
Shots on target
Aston Villa 8 Celtic 4
Total touches inside the box
Aston Villa 38 Celtic 10
Goalkeeper saves
Aston Villa 2 Celtic 3
Fouls
Aston Villa 4 Celtic 15
Corners
Aston Villa 4 Celtic 4
Advanced match stats
Shots
Aston Villa 20 Celtic 6
Shots on target
Aston Villa 8 Celtic 4
Shots off target
Aston Villa 7 Celtic 2
Blocked shots
Aston Villa 5 Celtic 0
Attempts out of box
Aston Villa 2 Celtic 2
Hit woodwork
Aston Villa 1 Celtic 0
One-on-one attempts
Aston Villa 1 Celtic 0
Total offside
Aston Villa 3 Celtic 2
xG from open play
Aston Villa 2.6213 Celtic 0.8154
xG from set play
Aston Villa 0.3813 Celtic 0
Aston Villa 1.69452 Celtic 0.64338
xA from open play
Aston Villa 1.64063 Celtic 0.639401
xA from set play
Aston Villa 0.0538819 Celtic 0.00397916
Total tackles
Aston Villa 12 Celtic 18
Won tackles
Aston Villa 10 Celtic 10
Fouls
Aston Villa 4 Celtic 15
Total clearances
Aston Villa 7 Celtic 21
Headed clearances
Aston Villa 3 Celtic 7
Duels won
Aston Villa 38 Celtic 27
Clearances off the line
Aston Villa 0 Celtic 1
Errors leading to shots
Aston Villa 1 Celtic 2
Total passes
Aston Villa 507 Celtic 359
Accurate passes
Aston Villa 450 Celtic 311
Backward passes
Aston Villa 81 Celtic 71
Forward passes
Aston Villa 133 Celtic 86
Total long balls
Aston Villa 32 Celtic 38
Successful final third passes
Aston Villa 82 Celtic 51
Total crosses
Aston Villa 10 Celtic 10
Touches
Aston Villa 656 Celtic 506
Touches in the box
Aston Villa 38 Celtic 10
Dispossessed
Aston Villa 9 Celtic 2
Goalkeeper saves
Aston Villa 2 Celtic 3
Diving saves
Aston Villa 1 Celtic 0
Saved shots from inside the box
Aston Villa 1 Celtic 4
Saved shots from outside the box
Aston Villa 1 Celtic 0
Keeper throws
Aston Villa 3 Celtic 1
Goal kicks
Aston Villa 3 Celtic 3
pre Match Facts
Aston Villa and Celtic will meet for the very first time; the Villans’ only previous European fixture against a fellow British club came in 2023-24 UEFA Conference League qualifying, winning 8-0 on aggregate against Hibernian.
Celtic have drawn each of their last three games against English opposition in the UEFA Champions League, drawing 1-1 at the Etihad Stadium with Manchester City in their most recent such game in December 2016.
Only one Scottish side has ever won away from home against an English opponent in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League, with Celtic themselves beating Leeds United in April 1970 (1-0). Since then, English sides have gone unbeaten across the seven such fixtures (W5 D2).
Celtic won their final game of the group stage in the UEFA Champions League last season (2-1 v Feyenoord), while they’ve never previously done so in back-to-back campaigns.
Celtic have qualified beyond the group stage/league phase of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2012-13. The Hoops have won three matches in the competition this term, last winning more in a European Cup/Champions League edition in 1973-74 (4), when they reached the semif-inals
Articles
FOMO for Kyogo as Celtic and Aston Villa serve up Champions League classic amid Prince William chants
Alan Pattullo
By Alan Pattullo
Specialist Sports Writer
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/fomo-for-kyogo-as-celtic-and-aston-villa-serve-up-champions-league-classic-amid-prince-william-chants-4966803
Comments
Published 29th Jan 2025, 22:51 GMT
English giants edge six-goal thriller at Villa Park
Prince William enjoyed a treat. Some wondered whether Aston Villa’s most famous fan would turn up for this clash but he did and the future king won’t regret doing so, despite some teasing from Celtic fans.
It was advisable to give up trying to fathom the consequences. At one stage Celtic were on course to meet…..Aston Villa in the knockout play-off round. Bring it on was the only response.
In the end, Villa qualified for the last 16 without this extra assignment. Celtic, meanwhile, play Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. Kyogo Furuhashi will surely be suffering FOMO – fear of missing out.
Celtic’s Adam Idah (centre) scores their side’s second goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League, league stage match at Villa Park, Birmingham. Picture date: Wednesday January 29, 2025.
Celtic’s Adam Idah (centre) scores their side’s second goal of the game during the UEFA Champions League, league stage match at Villa Park, Birmingham. Picture date: Wednesday January 29, 2025. | PA
This was almost so very sweet for Brendan Rodgers, who returned to the English game and the place where he won his last away match as Leicester manager. He watched his current team come back from two goals down, a double from Adam Idah – Kyogo’s replacement – cancelling out Morgan Rogers’ equally rapid-fire brace.
The second half was a slightly different story but Celtic were not out of contention until the very end. Watkins – the subject of a reported £60 million bid on the day of the game from Arsenal – let the visitors off the hook by missing a penalty in extraordinary fashion. He slipped in the run up and kicked the ball against his standing foot before watching it clear the bar by some distance. It was never a penalty -Auston Trusty clearly took the ball. Watkins will certainly have wished the award was overturned, particularly since it was at the Holte End.
Fortunately for him, he’d already put his side ahead again in front of this bank of home fans after John McGinn had again used his ample posterior to good effect, in this case to win a tussle with Arne Engels. The Scotland midfielder released Jacob Ramsey, who squared for Watkins to make it 3-2.
Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers celebrates scoring the team’s first goal in the 4-2 win over Celtic. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers celebrates scoring the team’s first goal in the 4-2 win over Celtic. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Despite all this, Watkins was eclipsed when it came to identifying the main man by fellow England striker Rogers, who wrapped things up in the final moments to secure his hat-trick. He had been hunting it for almost the entire match having scored twice in the opening five minutes.
Might this start have been a dismaying glimpse of life after Furuhashi or else evidence of Cameron Carter-Vickers’ importance to this Celtic team?
Like the Japanese striker, the injured Carter-Vickers was conspicuous by his absence. In his case, and fortunately for Celtic, his unavailability isn’t permanent although there have been worrying reports linking the centre half with a move elsewhere. At least Rodgers knows the rush to find another striker isn’t as urgent as many might have feared.
Idah has a helpful habit of rising to the occasion. A Scottish Cup winning goal last season, and now this, a double inside three minutes that brought Celtic level and kept the Uefa logistics department working overtime as they sought to calculate who would be required to participate in the knockout play-off round and who would be getting a few weeks off.
Prince William watches on from the stands during the UEFA Champions League football match between Aston Villa and Celtic. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Prince William watches on from the stands during the UEFA Champions League football match between Aston Villa and Celtic. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
It seemed pretty straightforward at first at Villa Park. The hosts seemed intent on knocking Celtic into whatever dark lair Ozzy Osbourne, depicted on an eye-catching tifo display pre-match, looked like he had crept from. But like Ozzy, they rose from the dead and shot some life into their fans, who had been unusually – though understandably – quiet following those alarming opening minutes.
They found their voice and their wit – certainly in the case of the “One Prince Harry” choruses, although some more depressing anthems were given an airing later – as Celtic began to secure a foothold in the game. Still, on top of losing two quick goals they lived very dangerously, with Jacob Ramsey hitting a post and Alistair Johnston clearing off the line from Watkins.
Three minutes later the visitors found a way back into the tie. It might once have been a dream of McGinn’s to play a part in a Celtic goal, but he didn’t want it to happen like this. The stadium erupted when the Scotland midfielder was summoned from the bench just 30 minutes in to replace the injured Matty Cash. “We’ve got McGinn! Super John McGinn…” sang the Villa fans, as if to remind the visiting supporters of the ownership status of the Celtic-supporting midfielder.
It’s unsurprising that McGinn was so obviously busting a gut against a side he knows he would have augmented had things been different. However, his determination to get involved served to undo Villa. A cross from Greg Taylor might not have caused the damage it did had McGinn not got a touch in an attempt to clear. The ball popped up for Idah, who converted, as he did again three minutes later, sweeping high into the net after a neat flick from Engels released Hatate down the right.
Celts lose out against Aston Villa but now look ahead to UCL play-off clash
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/january/29/celts-lose-out-against-aston-villa-but-now-look-ahead-to-ucl-play-off-clash/
First Team
By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor
Share
29 Jan 2025, 10:00 pm
UEFA Champions League
League phase, matchday eight
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
Villa Park, Birmingham
ASTON VILLA… 4
(Rogers 3, 5 & 90+1, Watkins 60)
CELTIC…2
(Idah 36 & 38)
Celtic’s valiant effort at Villa Park fell short as Aston Villa edged a pulsating encounter 4-2 in the final game of the UEFA Champions League league phase.
Second-half strike from Ollie Watkins and a hat-trick from Morgan Rogers proved decisive, despite the Hoops battling back from 2-0 down early in the game.
The result sees Brendan Rodgers’ side finish 21st in the UCL league phase table, and they will now face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the play-off round, with the draw taking place on Friday.
Aston Villa opened the scoring in just the third minute when Jacob Ramsey surged into the box before cutting the ball back to Rogers, who calmly slotted the ball past Kasper Schmeichel.
Moments later, Rogers doubled Villa’s advantage with a moment of sheer quality. Receiving the ball on the edge of the area, the in-form forward curled a superb effort beyond Schmeichel to send the home crowd into raptures.
Celtic’s shaky start began to settle as they created their first chance in the eighth minute. Adam Idah battled with Boubacar Kamara to win possession on the by-line, cutting the ball back, but with no one in the box, Villa cleared. The ball eventually fell to Nicolas Kuhn, but his left-footed strike went wide of Emiliano Martinez’s goal.
Villa continued to press, with Jacob Ramsey and Rogers causing problems for the Celtic defence. Matty Cash nearly added to Villa’s lead in the 15th minute, but Liam Scales defended bravely to block the Polish right-back’s effort.
Celtic had a golden opportunity to punish an Aston Villa mistake in the 25th minute when Reo Hatate intercepted a loose pass from Lucas Digne but his effort was comfortably saved by Martinez.
A minute later, Villa nearly added a third when Ramsey’s close-range shot hit the post and spun up into Kasper Schmeichel’s arms.
The home side were forced into an early substitution in the 29th minute as Matty Cash left the pitch injured, replaced by Scotland internationalist and club captain John McGinn.
The change gave Celtic an opening to exploit down Villa’s right-hand side, and the Hoops capitalised brilliantly later in the half.
But it was the home side who came close to a third in the 32nd minute when Ramsey’s cutback found Leon Bailey, who slipped the ball to Ollie Watkins. Watkins chipped the ball past Schmeichel, but Alistair Johnston’s heroic clearance off the line kept Celtic in the game.
Then came the turning point. In the 36th minute, Celtic found a lifeline. Greg Taylor, Yang, and Reo Hatate combined superbly down the right before Taylor delivered a dangerous cross into the box. John McGinn, sliding in, inadvertently deflected the ball into Adam Idah’s path, and the Irish striker made no mistake to fire the ball home.
And Celtic struck again just two minutes later. Arne Engels found Hatate with a superb flick into the box and his perfectly-placed delivery found Idah in the box, with the Irish striker finishing superbly to make it 2-2 at the break
58%
Possession
42%
20
Shots
6
8
Shots On Target
4
4
Corners
4
4
Fouls
15
0
0
Cards
0
0
The second-half began with Aston Villa threatening to regain the lead. Leon Bailey broke down the left in the 49th minute, but his low cross couldn’t find a team-mate as Auston Trusty cleared the danger.
Five minutes later, Morgan Rogers, searching for his hat trick, pounced on Arne Engels’ hesitation, but his tame left-footed effort trickled harmlessly past Kasper Schmeichel’s goal.
But Villa restored their lead in the 60th minute through Watkins, capping off a clinical counter-attack. John McGinn powered forward and played in Jacob Ramsey, who found Watkins in space. The striker slotted the ball past Schmeichel for his 11th goal of the season, putting the home side 3-2 ahead.
Villa almost doubled their advantage just three minutes later. Watkins pressured Trusty into a loose back pass, allowing McGinn to intercept. McGinn set up Watkins, whose close-range shot was denied by a superb save from Schmeichel.
Drama unfolded in the 65th minute as Villa were awarded a penalty after Watkins was brought down in the box by Auston Trusty. The striker stepped up to take the spot-kick, but in a moment of embarrassment, he slipped, sending the ball wildly over the bar and handing Celtic a lifeline.
Celtic sought to capitalise on the reprieve, with Reo Hatate coming close in the 73rd minute. Nicolas Kuhn’s clever play set up Hatate, whose curling effort seemed destined for the net but crept just past the post.
Moments later, Adam Idah broke free and had support from Luis Palma, but his attempt to squeeze the ball in at the near post was saved by Martinez.
Villa continued to threaten, with Watkins firing into the side-netting in the 76th minute, and in the game’s closing stages Schmeichel once again came to Celtic’s rescue, denying Rogers in the 80th minute when the forward attempted a clever chip over the experienced goalkeeper.
However, Morgan Rogers sealed the victory and his hat-trick in added time after Watkins pounced on a defensive mistake in the box. The midfielder received the ball and fired it into the Celtic net to take the match ball home.
However, Brendan Rodgers’ side will now look forward to Friday’s play-off draw and the prospect of facing either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
A Villa: Martínez, Cash (McGinn 30′), Konsa, Kamara, Digne (Maatsen 74′), Bogarde, Tielemans, Bailey, Rogers, Ramsey, Watkins
Subs: McGinn, Durán, Nedeljkovic, Maatsen, Olsen, Zych, Swinkels, Patterson, Young
Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston, Trusty, Scales (Murray 83′), Taylor, Engels (Paulo Bernardo 73′), McGregor, Hatate (McCowan 83′), Kühn, Idah (Cummings 79′), Hyunjun Yang (Palma 73′)
Subs: Palma, Sinisalo, McCowan, Nawrocki, Paulo Bernardo, Bain, Montgomery, Murray, Cummings, Ralston
Manager: I’m proud of players and now we face exciting play-off tie
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2025/january/29/manager–i-m-proud-of-players-and-now-we-face-exciting-play-off-tie/
First Team
By Paul Cuddihy, Celtic View Editor
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29 Jan 2025, 10:49 pm
Brendan Rodgers’ side produced a battling performance at Villa Park in their final league phase fixture of the UEFA Champions League.
Despite conceding two goals inside the first five minutes, the Hoops battled back and Adam Idah hit a double to level the game at the break.
However, two further Aston Villa goals in the second-half gave the English Premier League side a 4-2 victory on the night.
Despite that defeat, Celtic have progressed to the knockout play-off after an impressive European campaign, and they will find out on Friday whether they will face Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
Speaking to Celtic TV after the game, Brendan Rodgers said: “I thought we actually started the game well in those first couple of minutes and we showed a confidence and authority with the ball, but then we got done with two quick goals.
“And that then really is a test of your nerve, your heart, your mentality, and the players shone in that aspect right the way through the game.
‘We scored two fantastic goals, and we went into the second half and knew we would have to defend but we still had some good moments with the ball.’
“The game’s in the balance right to the very end, but there was a mistake at the end which puts a bit more of a shine on the game for Aston Villa, but there’s nothing but pride.
“We’re putting on some young players that have never played for Celtic, never mind playing in the Champions League before. So putting them in and, like I say, they showed a great mentality and a great desire right the way through the game.”
It was Adam Idah who produced two excellent first-half finishes to draw Celtic level on the night, although the home side restored their two-goal advantage in the second-half.
And the Irish striker’s performance drew praise from his manager.
“There’s obviously a lot of pressure being the striker at Celtic and Adam hasn’t quite got the goals that he would want, but I thought his two finishes were excellent tonight,” Brendan Rodgers said.
“For the first goal he’s had to adjust quickly and showed great athleticism to finish, and the second goal is a brilliant team goal and he’s at the end of that to finish off.
“And, overall, I thought he carried a real threat and was a real handful for Aston Villa.”
Now the Hoops await Friday’s draw when they will discover their knockout play-off opponents, either Bayern Munich or the UEFA Champions League holders, Real Madrid.
Either opponent is an exciting prospect for everyone connected with Celtic.
“We’ve built a really good foundation this season and shown that we can compete and play the game to the level that we want, and shown that we can also defend,” the Celtic manager said.
“Clearly, at this level if you make mistakes you’ll get punished and you’ve also got players with big quality.
‘But, overall, we were very competitive over the course of the eight games which gives us the 12 points, and now gives us a really exciting tie for the players and the supporters.’
“I’m very proud of the team, which gives pride to the club and to the nation, and then we can hopefully continue to grow over the coming years.
“It’s absolutely amazing, all the effort and commitment, everything, to end up with one of those two teams. It’s going to be a big challenge but we can go and, like we’ve shown at this level, make it really difficult for teams.”
BBC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cj91vdkvnrnt#Report
Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter
Ollie Watkins helped Aston Villa reach the last 16 of the Champions League – just hours after Arsenal’s approach for the England striker was made public.
The forward struck to restore Villa’s lead after they had blown an early 2-0 advantage against Celtic, with team-mate Morgan Rogers hitting a hat-trick in the victory over the Scottish champions.
Watkins’ goal came following the Gunners’ surprise approach for him this week.
It seemingly did not faze Watkins – a boyhood Arsenal fan – who started and set up Rogers for the second goal of his early double.
Watkins also won and missed a second-half penalty, slipping badly as he went to strike the ball from the spot.
Villa have no intention of letting the 29-year-old England striker leave, especially now qualification for the knockout stage is assured, with Unai Emery’s side finishing eighth in the table.
Celtic, who finish 21st, face a play-off next month to reach the last 16 having initially fought back from 2-0 down after only five minutes.
Rogers’ first two goals gave the hosts a comfortable lead, only for Adam Idah’s own quickfire double to level before half-time.
Watkins had been denied by Alistair Johnston’s goalline clearance which would have put the hosts 3-0 up before Celtic roared back.
Idah hooked in from close range and then pounced on Reo Hatate’s pass to stun Villa Park.
But the hosts recovered after the restart with Watkins restoring their lead after an hour before his bungled penalty four minutes later, slipping to balloon the spot-kick high and wide.
Rogers tapped in his third goal in injury time after another defensive mess for Celtic.
Celtic can ‘make it difficult’ for Bayern or Real
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/crm7x1mzvlxo
Media caption,
Rodgers reacts to Celtic loss
George O’Neill
BBC Sport Scotland
Published
7 hours ago
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is confident his side can “make it difficult” for either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the Champions League play-off round, but admits it will be a “huge challenge”.
The Scottish champions finished the competition’s inaugural league phase in 21st place after a 4-2 defeat at Aston Villa, and will discover whether they face either Bayern or Real when the draw for the knockout stages takes place on Friday.
Celtic earned wins over Slovan Bratislava, RB Leipzig and Young Boys, in addition to draws against Atalanta, Dinamo Zagreb and Club Brugge, and Rodgers says they fully deserve their spot in the play-offs.
“We have qualified on merit and showed quality on the way,” he said. “It’s what the players deserve for what they’ve given over the course of the eight games.
“We know it’s either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the next round, so that’ll be a huge challenge. We’re building confidence and showing we can play and make it difficult for the top teams.
“Whoever we play are clearly top-level teams.”
Villa Park bedlam sums up gripping Celtic campaign
Published
8 hours ago
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Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton praised Rodgers’ side’s “maturity” throughout this season’s campaign, and agrees the Parkhead club are worthy of a play-off spot.
After a crushing 7-1 defeat by Borussia Dortmund on matchday two, Celtic’s chances were written off by pundits, but Villa were the only other team to beat them as they recovered well from their dismal trip to Germany.
“I have been pleasantly surprised by them in this Champions League campaign,” Sutton said on BBC Radio 5 live. “They have shown maturity and that they have made progress.
“There is no doubt that Celtic will go into a tie with either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich as massive underdogs, but they have earned the right to be in the play-offs.”
‘We showed so much courage’
Media caption,
Idah scores double to draw Celtic level
This is the first time Celtic have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League since 2013, as they benefitted from the wider range of teams they played in the new format.
Rodgers himself is a fan, and says Celtic’s progression is evidence Scottish sides can compete on Europe’s biggest stage.
“I’ve really enjoyed it,” he said. “I’m pretty sure there would have been a level of excitement tonight with who you might get. I’ve enjoyed the variance of the games.
“Scotland gets a wee bit of stick in its football. You can clearly see we have teams who have courage to play. We’re nowhere near the resource levels of teams in the Premier League, but we can still be competitive.”
The first-half at Villa Park was evidence of that.
Morgan Rogers early double sent the home fans in the famous old ground into ecstasy and memories of the Dortmund drubbing were brought to mind.
However, Celtic weathered the storm and drew level through two Adam Idah goals off the back of some wonderful build-up play.
The hosts’ quality shone through after the break, but Celtic gave them a game. Indeed, they were the only side to score at Villa Park in the league phase.
“Celtic stuck at it and you have to give them credit,” former Scotland forward James McFadden said on Sportsound.
“They stuck to it and put everything into it. They can take some confidence from it because at times they looked good.”
Rodgers was effusive in his praise for the way his players went toe-to-toe with Villa at points.
“The word that strikes me is pride,” he said.
“We’re coming to a team that over the past couple of years have been at the highest level in the Premier League. We played with so much courage.
“We scored two very good goals, and overall to take the game to injury time was a great effort. We’re disappointed to lose but we played our part in a good game.
“That was always the objective, to come in and be competitive at this level.”
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Villa Park bedlam sums up gripping Celtic campaign
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5y6lvw0012o
Champions League highlights: Aston Villa 4-2 Celtic
Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland
Published
8 hours ago
Celtic’s enthralling defeat at Aston Villa was a near-perfect illustration of the club’s gripping, and ultimately successful, Champions League campaign.
A campaign which now rolls on to a tantalising two-legged play-off against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in less than two weeks.
In Birmingham, there were shades of the Borussia Dortmund horror show as Villa scored twice in the opening five minutes, while missing a host of other chances.
Celtic players looked stunned and cowed in a raucous stadium against an elite side.
But as those memories of the Westfalenstadion on matchday two – banished by recent improvements at Europe’s top table – came rushing back, Celtic dug deep.
There was some of the fight and character shown in digging out a point at Atalanta and coming from behind to draw with Club Brugge as they steadied.
Then some of the swashbuckling stuff seen against RB Leipzig and Slovan Bratislava as Adam Idah ended his goal drought with a double to level.
That got Celtic right back in the contest, which gripped until Morgan Rogers completed his hat-trick to make it 4-2 in stoppage time, as the pressure from Villa proved too much in the second half.
Even in disappointment the Celtic players and fans, both drained from another epic night, left Villa Park knowing the story is not over.
They get to do it all again in the play-off round against a European giant, with the draw made on Friday.
That was the aim, but now they’re there, Brendan Rodgers and his players will want to make the most of it.
Celtic can ‘make it difficult’ for Bayern or Real
Published
7 hours ago
Villa v Celtic – reaction & as it happened
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Celtic live on edge of chaos
While Celtic’s fightback and competitiveness was admirable, the defeat was a reminder of the unforgiveable nature of playing the best in the Champions League.
Villa scored four, missed a penalty, hit a post, had one cleared off the line, racking up a hefty expected goals rating of 3.79.
Celtic played on the edge of chaos as they pressed and tried to move the ball quickly. At times it worked, but there were also a lot of mistakes.
Graphic depicting the places in the box where Aston Villa’s chances came against Celtic, which amounted to 3.79 expected goals.Image source, BBC Sport
Image caption,
Celtic conceded a lot of chances against Aston Villa
They were caught in possession trying to play out from the back for Villa’s second.
And Liam Scales was punished ruthlessly for pushing too high up the pitch for the third as Villa easily broke through on the counter.
Auston Trusty erratically slid in to give away a penalty, while a poor header from the American in the first half lead to Jacob Ramsey hitting a post.
Young defender Dane Murray – only recently returned from Queen’s Park – was robbed in his own box for the fourth in stoppage time.
There were plenty more moments when Celtic got themselves into trouble.
Without their best centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers it was always going to be a tough task defensively, while Daizen Maeda’s defensive output was missed as Villa got joy down the flanks in the first half.
Maeda will miss the first leg of the next round due to suspension, and with Kyogo Furuhashi away to Rennes, and left-back Alex Valle joining him out the door, the last few days of the transfer window are big for the club.
With Real or Bayern coming to town, they need to make sure they are as strong as possible from back to front.
Dortmund aside, Celtic have been competitive and adaptable throughout this campaign, and reaching the play-off round is just rewards for that.
Idah provides timely reminder
Media caption,
Idah scores double to draw Celtic level
In the week Celtic lost talismanic striker Kyogo, Idah provided a timely reminder of his capabilities to some of the more angst-ridden among the club’s fans.
That could be the biggest positive to come from this defeat.
The Irishman’s two goals – the first Villa had conceded on their own patch in the Champions League – not only hauled his team back level from a bleak position, but demonstrated his finishing abilities to many who had forgotten he had them.
The final goal in a 5-0 home win against Ross County at the end of November was the last time the Irishman found the net before Wednesday.
‘BVP’ – before Villa Park – might become the reference point in Idah’s Celtic career, if he can kick on from this and fill Kyogo’s substantial shoes.
The hope for Rodgers is Idah’s instinctive finishes, particularly for the first goal where he managed to react brilliantly to get his leg in a difficult position to lash home, will spark something.
There were also glimpses of his running power in behind, particularly one moment in the second half when he sprinted in behind and got a strike away.
Rodgers said afterwards it will be “big for his confidence”, and this campaign has been a boost for Celtic’s overall esteem on the grandest stage in club football.
Their progress was epitomised by their first-half fightback in Birmingham.
They have nothing to lose from here on, but the next challenge is to make sure the pride they have worked so hard to restore remains intact against one of the giants of European football.