Aston Villa has a final opportunity to seal the automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16 when they face Celtic in a crucial clash of ‘Battle of Great Britain’ on Wednesday. When heading to the final round of the League phase matches, Unai Emery team feels ninth in the classification, with the first eight guaranteed to advance directly to the last 16. The teams that end ninth to 24 will face 24 will face A play-off round of stress that determines the last eight clubs to progress. Villa, who is at a point behind the eighth place Bayer Leverkusen, will surely have to overcome the leaders of the Premier League Scotto Cotes in Villa Park to avoid the play-offs.
They could have completed almost one last position by beating Monaco last week, but instead he gave up a 1-0 defeat against the Ligue 1 team.
The defender of Villa Tyrone Mings is confident that his side can cope with the tension of such a critical combination.
“It is not pressure, it is something we deal with every time we go to the football field, that’s no different. We enjoy it,” Mings said.
“It is obviously a very big game next week, but everyone is in its own way.”
Mings left the field crying after suffering a knee injury in the first half during the 1-1 draw on Sunday against West Ham, causing fears of the influential central one will miss the Celtic party.
‘I learned our lesson’
Celtic will surely end in a playoff place after beating young 1-0 in Glasgow last week.
But it is unlikely that the 18 side of Brendan Rodgers will take it easy against Villa, since they seek to finish as high as possible on the table and potentially ensure a less formidable play-off opponent.
Celtic also has a point to demonstrate after being beaten 7-1 in Borussia Dortmund in the most discouraging of its league phase matches.
A positive result against Villa would calm those who suggested their progress to the play-offs were partly due to a favorable accessories list.
“I think we learned our lesson in Dortmund and we recovered very well. Sometimes you learn when you spend it difficult,” said goalkeeper Celta Kasper Schmeichel.
“Except for a game, we have been solid, we have been very good. We have had some very mature performances.
“That is the team’s brand, we never get carried away, we stay humble and keep learning.”
Celtic, undefeated in five European games, will travel well rested after Saturday’s game against Dundee was postponed due to the damage of the club caused by Storm Eowyn.
But Rodgers’ men are exhausted by the absence of Japan Internationals Daizen Maeda, who is suspended, and Kyogo Furuhashi, who completed a transfer to Rennes on Monday.
Kyogo’s departure was softened by the extreme jota returning from Rennes, but is not eligible to play on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, West Midlands police hope to keep the lid in possible multitude problems in the last volatile shock between English and Scottish clubs.
The accessory in Villa Park occurs six days after Manchester United’s 2-1 victory over the Rangers in the Europa League was affected by violent scenes.
There were 39 arrests when Rangers fans infiltrated the stadium sections reserved for United supporters, with a disorder also reported in the city center.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was automatically generated from a union feed).
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