Aiming to book a spot in the last 16 of the Champions League, Aston Villa will welcome Scottish giants Celtic to Villa Park for a Battle of Britain on Wednesday night in UEFA's elite club competition.

Returning to the elite level of European football for the first time in four decades, one-time Champions League victors Aston Villa have undoubtedly proven that they are not just in the competition to make up the numbers, with the Second City club already securing their spot in the knockout stages next month.

However, a solitary strike from Monaco's Wilfried Singo condemned the Villans to their second loss of the league phase last Tuesday night, dropping Unai Emery's troops down to ninth in the league phase rankings, meaning that they likely need three points against Celtic to skip the stress of the playoff round.

Villa should be supremely confident of getting themselves over the line at their formidable Midlands base, with Wednesday's hosts unbeaten in nine matches at Villa Park in front of their own supporters, although a 41,000-strong crowd witnessed a frustrating performance on Sunday afternoon.

A first Premier League strike of the 2024-25 campaign from Jacob Ramsey fired the Villans ahead against West Ham on the weekend in the eighth minute, although the Hammers produced a respectable comeback during the second period, when left-back Emerson restored parity in the contest.

Winless in their last three matches across all competitions - their longest such run since late November - Villa are slowly slipping out of contention for a Champions League spot for next season, with Emery's men four points back from fifth-placed Newcastle United in the Premier League standings.

Securing possession of the Scottish crown in each of the last three campaigns and leading the current title race by a staggering 10 points, Celtic are the undisputed masters of their respective domestic scene, with Wednesday's visitors losing just one of their 23 Premiership matches this term.

The elephant in the room over the past few years has been the Bhoys' lacklustre showings under the bright lights in Europe, but the revamped league phase has given Brendan Rodgers's side a genuine opportunity to make a serious challenge at reaching the latter stages of the Champions League.

Four points ahead of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in 25th spot, Celtic are assured of at least a playoff finish ahead of their daunting trip to Villa Park this week, and maximum points in the Second City would keep alive their faint hopes of placing inside the top eight.

Enjoying a nine-game unbeaten run at Celtic Park stretching back to late November, the Bhoys have found matches on the road a stumbling block at the beginning of 2025, with the Scottish champions losing at Rangers and being forced to share the spoils at lowly Dundee so far this month domestically.

Only Premier League duo Liverpool (12) and Arsenal (12) have collected more Champions League home points than Celtic's 10 in the League Phase, but Rodgers's men have struggled in away contests, failing to win during any of their three trips so far, conceding seven goals in the painful process.

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Digne, Maatsen; Tielemans, Kamara; Bailey, Rogers, Ramsey; Watkins

Celtic possible starting lineup:

Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; Engels, McGregor, Hatate; Kuhn, Idah, Palma