Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says his side are facing a "fantastic coach" and "prestigious club" as they host Brendan Rodgers' Celtic.

Villa are currently a point better off than Celtic and only outside the top eight on goal difference.

"We are trying to get the best out of our players," he said speaking to TNT Sports.

"Our aim is to win and to get the top eight but we have to play, enjoy it and share the moments with our supporters. No more.

"Celtic have some good players and it will be a good challenge for us. I respect them and the coach."

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This might be the first meeting between Aston Villa and Celtic, but, both managers know their respective opponents well.

Let's hear from them both...

"It's like replacing a Ferrari with a Lamborghini."

What else could Craig Telfer be talking about?

The A View From the Terrace host is of course deftly describing the trade of Kyogo and Jota.

"I think Jota is an absolutely smashing signing and Kyogo going out, it's like replacing a Ferrari with a Lamborghini. It's an absolutely phenomenal signing," he told the Scottish Football Podcast.

"Jota, certainly in the last 18 months or so since leaving Celtic, has been a bit in the wilderness, I don't think his move to Saudi Arabia worked out and his move to Rennes certainly didn't work out.

"But he was a phenomenal player when playing for Celtic, the kind of player that fans like to watch, the sort of player that will take you to the edge of your seat. What I liked most about Jota, he really looked like he was enjoying himself as well.

"I think the only issue that Celtic really have is where do you play him? Because you've got obviously [Daizen] Maeda on one side of the attacking three, Nicholas Kuhn on the other, guys who are both very, very good.

"And it's where he fits into this, but it's a very, very good problem for Rodgers to have."

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Monday wasn't all doom and gloom, though, was it?

Jota was on the opposite flight from former team-mate Kyogo as they switched cities.

Glasgow over Rennes any day, eh?

The Portuguese winger signed a five-and-a-half-year deal with Brendan Rodgers' side, though he'll have to wait for his second debut as he's ineligible tonight.

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A modern day icon departed on Monday, and now life without Kyogo begins for Celtic.

He made his final appearance for Celtic a week ago today, though few knew at the time it would be.

It was his 165th run out for the Scottish champions, and he marked it with a hat-trick, of sorts... Three first-half disallowed goals.

His final tally was 85. Not a bad return, and a tough act to follow...

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The McGinn's aren't the only family considering half-and-half scarves...

Stiliyan Petrov played for Celtic from 1999 to 2006 and then for Villa until his retirement in 2013 after suffering from acute leukaemia - from which he has recovered.

He also had coaching roles with Villa.

"I have two boys - one is a Celtic fan, one is a Villa fan," the former Bulgaria midfielder told The Football News Show. "You can imagine what's happening in my house. I'd take a draw.

"Through my battle with cancer I had the support of the two clubs. I'm really close to both clubs. I'm looking forward to the game."

How English folks view see John McGinn:

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How Scottish folks see John McGinn:

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John McGinn can do many things, but carrying off a poker face is one we've yet to see. That'll be put to the test tonight, you imagine.

The proud Scot wears his heart on his sleeve and you can usually tell what he's thinking. We all knew he was gonna get up and join in the dancing in Germany, eh?

The Villa captain has always been a big Celtic fan, so how he handles tonight could be interesting. The same could be said for his family.

His brother Stephen, mum and dad and a few others hopped on a bus down to Birmingham this morning and had a quick word with our colleagues in West Midlands while on a pit-stop in Gretna.

"There are some split loyalties on there - some Celtic fans jumped on," Sportsound pundit Stephen said.

Laughing, he added: "Honestly, there's a lot of people doing some acting, so I'm not really sure. There are poker faces."

Stephen said there was a lot of excitement and added: "Obviously, we used to go to Champion League games together, myself, John, and my other brother Paul, with my dad. My first thought was it was a big thing."

Hear more from Stephen here., external

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Scotland international John McGinn has been nursing a hamstring injury over the last few weeks, but he did appear off the bench at the weekend.

He starts there tonight, but you can guarantee he won't want to stay there...

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Aston Villa and Celtic meet for the first time tonight.

The Villans' only previous European fixture against a fellow British club came in 2023-24 Conference League qualifying, winning 8-0 on aggregate against Hibernian.

A coupla sore ones for Lee Johnson's side, but like the Celtic fans tonight, the Hibees had a hoot in Birmingham.

Chris Collinson
BBC football statistician

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In simple terms: Celtic have already qualified for the Champions League play-off round and have no realistic chance of finishing in the top eight.

The full version: Celtic would secure an extremely unlikely top-eight finish if they win at Aston Villa AND:

• All 10 sides immediately above them (Leverkusen, Villa, Monaco, Feyenoord, Lille, Brest, Dortmund, Bayern, Real Madrid and Juventus) fail to win (NB. Lille play Feyenoord and Brest play Real Madrid).
• OR 9 of the 10 sides immediately above them all fail to win AND Atalanta lose at Barcelona.
• OR Atletico and AC Milan both lose (with the required goal swing), Atalanta lose and 7 of the 10 sides immediately above Celtic all fail to win.
• Opta put the chances of any of this happening and Celtic finishing in the top eight at just 0.05%.

There's plenty up for grabs tonight across the continent. Some folks braver than me are going to try and keep across it all.

Follow along here...

The Sportsound team have been up and running on the airwaves for a wee while now.

Hit the big button at the top of this page to tune in or find the troops on Radio Scotland the auld fashioned way.

It's probably the Celtic team you'd expect with the knowledge Cameron Carter-Vickers is out through injury and Daizen Maeda is suspended.

Liam Scales comes into the defence alongside Auston Trusty, while Yang Hyun-Jun is on the left wing.

Adam Idah leads the line in the wake of Kyogo's exit.

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The big breaking news is that Ollie Watkins is in the starting line-up, amid rumours of a possible move to Arsenal.

Jhon Duran, who is also being linked with a move away, is on the bench.

The only change from the weekend is 21-year-old defender Lamare Bogarde coming in for the injured Tyrone Mings.

Scotland international and Celtic fan John McGinn is on the bench too as he works his way back from injury.

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Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Bogarde, Digne, Ramsey, Tielemans, Kamara, Bailey, Rogers, Watkins.

Substitutes: Olsen, Zych, Nedeljkovic, Maatsen, Pattersn, Swinkels, McGinn, Duran, Young.

Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Taylor, McGregor, Hatate, Engels, Kuhn, Yang, Idah.

Substitutes: Sinisalo, Bain, Palma, McCowan, Nawrocki, Bernardo, Montgomery, Murray, Cummings, Ralston.

Team news is in, let's have a look, eh?

A fair amount of folks had their doubts about this new Champions League league phase format, but as it reaches its conclusion, many concede it's been a cracker.

Few Celtic fans will argue with that as the Scottish champions have qualified beyond the group stage/league phase of the elite European competition for the first time since 2012-13.

Brendan Rodgers insists his side won't be putting their feet up tonight, with a slim chance of a top eight spot still on the go.

You can sit back and relax, though, as we get going for the big'un in Birmingham...

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