Aston Villa secured the automatic qualification for the Champions League round of 16 years and also over a cumbersome route after warding off a Celtic comeback to win a 4-2 victory in Villa Park.
Morgan Rogers was the hero with a hat trick with the other goal, that of Ollie Watkins, the subject of an arsenal bid worth 60 million pounds earlier a day.
Watkins also hid a penalty, but it was not important when the villa pressed home and then had to wait nervously to confirm the 2-2 draw in Barcelona in Atalanta before the celebrations could really start.
Villa prompted the victory into the top -dot of the new league phase next to Lille, with AC Milan and Atalanta slipping into the playoffs.
A top-eight finish means that we will see them in the 16 round of the Champions League of 16, Villans
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– Aston Villa (@avfcofficial) January 29, 2025
Celtic ended the 21st place, but they were brave in the defeat and met in the first five minutes thanks to a fast fire adam Idah clamp before half-time of twice on Rogers.
Villa comes out of the traps
A night with a high drama almost started from the first kick when the villa started inside five minutes before the match nerve inside.
Almost three minutes had passed when Youri Tielemans slipped on the left in Jacob Ramsey and his cross was only a centimeter perfection so that Rogers fired past Kasper Schmeichel.
Celtic were all at sea and the villa used the advantage by achieving her next attack again.
Watkins selected Rogers and his 20-yard shot flew past the outstretched arm from Schmeichel into the upper right corner.
It’s Rogers again!
A divine start for Morgan Rogers, who scored two goals in just four minutes
@Tntsports & @Discoveryplusuk pic.twitter.com/akwjxhaanz
– Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 29, 2025
The goalkeeper will probably have the feeling that he could have done it better, and Brendan Rodgers’ frustration would only have increased if Reo Hatate was able to place a poor ball from Lucas Digne, but could only place a tame shot directly on Emi Martinez.
It was a rare striker for Celtic and the villa soon gained the upper hand, with Ramsey coming back from the post in centimeters after the 3-0 shot that came back from the post before he hit flatter.
An injury to Matty Cash, which was replaced by John McGinn, at least initially stopped the villa’s dynamics, with Watkins in the 32nd minute a shot from the Alistair Johnston line in the 32nd minute after he was overturning the ball Schmeichel had cleverly lifted.
Celtic struck back
It should prove a central moment because Celtic had dragged a level within six minutes.
Her first goal came after Greg Taylor was distracted on the left with his cross from Jugendkeltic -Fan McGinn in the way from Idah, and he showed great flexibility to bring home with his right foot.
After the villa had been by far the better side, she rocked and came back shortly afterwards. Arne Engels’ clever film left Hatate free and his low cross from the right was swept into the roof of the network by Idah.
Celtic are back -level
Adam Idah sees Morgans 2 goals in 4 minutes and increases it to 2 goals in 2 1/2 minutes.
– Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 29, 2025
After a manic first half, the opening of 15 minutes of the second period was sedated compared to both sides, which apparently still breathe too breath.
Perhaps the villa meant that the results elsewhere from the top eight, to keep their authority from the top eight, and they did so.
McGinn frees Ramsey and his passport was for Watkin’s folding perfection to shoot past Schmeichel.
The villa was again where they had to be, but they continued to make life difficult. Another mistake from Schmeichel presented the ball McGinn and his pass should have been buried by Watkins, but the Danish goalkeeper saved his shot with Rogers, who fired the rebound.
Watkins fluffs its lines
An even greater chance came and went after 67 minutes when Auston Trusty Watkins spurned in the area, but the England striker slipped when he took the kick and the ball bounced off both feet and flew over the bar.
The villa got on and Schmeichel got good after 71 minutes to keep Watkins’ crispy shot away with his outstretched leg.
Watkins then fired in the secondary employment when he was well placed before Schmeichel produced a trademark to refuse the former man from Brentford.
The fourth goal finally came in added time.
Watkins
Rogers
Rogers gets his hat trick to score 4 goals for the villa
– Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 29, 2025
The replacement dane Murray slipped and although flattered did enough to stop Watkins, Rogers was present to score.
And when news from Catalonia that Atalanta had held, the party began.
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