The Celtic shock factor that is going to hit Aston Villa as Champions League battle sparks a heated rivalry
Celtic will play Aston Villa in the Champions League next year.
A former Celtic and Aston Villa manager reckons the latter is going to get a shock when the former rocks into Birmingham.
Brendan Rodgers’ Hoops side will face Unai Emery’s men in the Champions League this season. They have other tests awaiting them ahead of that - including this week’s trip to Borussia Dortmund - but already some eyes are being cast towards a battle between sides north and south of the border.
Martin O’Neill has managed both clubs, including guiding Celtic to memorable European nights in the UEFA Cup against Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool. He reckons Aston Villa will be taken aback by how many Celtic fans travel for the game, with an age-old Scotland vs England rivalry coming into effect.
When asked if that game in particular had a different dimension, he told PLZ: “Of course it does. We always feel we are trying to prove ourselves against the English teams. Particularly the results we got in that UEFA Cup run against Blackburn Rovers, they were an excellent Premier League team, in the top six or seven in England at the time.
“For us to get the better of them was great. But eventually, the matches we had and the victory over Liverpool showed we could not compete, but actually win against them. That was big as you always felt you were fighting for Scottish football as well your club of course. I think that victory was something particularly special against Liverpool.
“You feel it’s that Scotland vs England thing again. Then people start to make a lot out of matches particular if the Scottish side are beaten in the games. Those things are still very important to everybody north of the border.
“If the allocations there are half as big when we travelled to Blackburn and Liverpool, I think they are in for a treat and a bit of a shock! If it’s anything like the atmosphere we had at Ewood Park and Anfield, it will be special.”