John Hartson drops his honest verdict on the up coming Aston villa Vs Celtic in the champions League and his words speaks volume

Celtic will play Aston Villa in their final Champions League group phase game.

A Celtic legend hopes there’s something riding on Aston Villa versus the Hoops when Champions League battle comes between the pair.

Currently, the Hoops are on seven points from four matches in the league phase. A 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig in a strong position to make it beyond the first stage of the competition, with a match in Birmingham with Aston Villa to come in early 2025.

Unai Emery’s side have nine points currently, so they are also on pace for qualification. Celtic hero John Hartson both clubs have something to play for when the game rolls around, with plenty of connections between the pair, including Aston Villa captain John McGinn.

He told Go Radio: “What a stadium to play it as well, Villa Park. It is one of my favourite stadiums in the Premier League. The Holte End and everything else.

“I used to play against players like Paul McGrath, Dean Saunders, Shaun Teale and Dwight Yorke. That was sort of my era when I was at Arsenal and West Ham. Villa Park was always a great place to play. It really was.

“Now that they are in the Champions League. I can’t imagine what the atmosphere is like. Some of the games I watched, Bayern Munich, for instance. The atmosphere was electric, so you put that in with the Celtic travelling away fans. It will be some night. You are just hoping that there is something riding on the game, then you have sentimental stuff.

“You have got John McGinn playing for Aston Villa, a Celtic fan. You have Martin O’Neill, who did so well as a Celtic manager, also Villa manager. There are little links and talking points.”