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Aston Villa vs Celtic: Prediction, Team News & Lineups | Jan 29, 2025

Aston Villa welcome Celtic to Villa Park on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 8:00 pm UK time, in a crucial UEFA Champions League League Phase clash. Both sides are looking to secure their places in the knockout stages, with Villa aiming for a top-eight finish and Celtic hoping to solidify their playoff spot.

Interesting Fact:

Celtic are unbeaten in their last six matches across all competitions, while Aston Villa boast a nine-match unbeaten streak at Villa Park.

Team Analysis

Aston Villa

Returning to the Champions League after four decades, Aston Villa are currently ninth in the League Phase rankings. A win would allow them to bypass the playoff round, a vital incentive for Unai Emery’s side. Villa are unbeaten at home in this season’s competition, but their recent form across all competitions has dipped.

Form:

  • Last 5 matches: W-L-D-L-D
  • Last match: 1-1 draw vs West Ham

Key Players:

  • Jhon Durán: Top scorer for Villa in the Champions League with three goals, including vital openers.
  • Jacob Ramsey: Scored his first Premier League goal of the season last weekend, showing his attacking prowess.

Injuries/Suspensions:

  • Tyrone Mings: Doubtful after a knee injury against West Ham.
  • Pau Torres: Out with a foot injury.
  • Ross Barkley and Amadou Onana: Both sidelined with injuries.

Celtic

Celtic are 18th in the League Phase rankings with 12 points, four points ahead of 25th-placed Manchester City. The Scottish champions have struggled on the road in this campaign but remain in excellent overall form, entering this clash unbeaten in six games.

Form:

  • Last 5 matches: W-D-W-W-W
  • Last match: 1-0 win vs Young Boys

Key Players:

  • Daizen Maeda: Celtic’s leading scorer in the Champions League with three goals.
  • Kyogo Furuhashi: Scored key goals domestically but could be making his last appearance for Celtic amid transfer speculation.

Injuries/Suspensions:

  • Daizen Maeda: Suspended after a red card against Young Boys.
  • James Forrest and Odin Thiago Holm: Both sidelined with injuries.

Head-to-Head and Past Encounters

This is the first meeting between Aston Villa and Celtic in recent history, adding to the excitement of this Battle of Britain. Both teams have displayed strong home form, making this encounter a significant challenge for the visitors.

Key Stats:

  • Aston Villa are unbeaten in nine home matches across all competitions.
  • Celtic have failed to win any of their three away Champions League matches this season, conceding seven goals in the process.

Prediction

Goal.mu/Mauri.bet predicts: Aston Villa 2-1 Celtic

Villa’s strong home record and Celtic’s struggles on the road suggest a narrow victory for the hosts, though Celtic’s attacking quality could ensure a competitive match.

Betting Tips

  1. Both Teams to Score: Yes
  2. Over/Under 2.5 Goals: Over 2.5 Goals
  3. Anytime Goalscorer: Jhon Durán

Possible Lineups

Aston Villa (4-2-3-1):
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Digne, Maatsen; Tielemans, Kamara; Bailey, Ramsey, Rogers; Watkins

Celtic (4-3-3):
Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Kuhn, Idah, Furuhashi

Hot Stat

Aston Villa have scored first in three of their last six matches, while Celtic have opened the scoring in all six of their recent games.

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