Gabby Agbonlahor warns Aston Villa fans about Celtic ahead of Champions League clash

What a treat in store for everyone associated with Celtic and Aston Villa.

It’s one of English football’s grand clubs, and former European champions, up against Scotland’s greatest-ever club, as Celtic locks horns with Villa for the very first time.

This is the final game of a gruelling and newly-formed league phase that has resulted in Celtic and Aston Villa, at a minimum, booking their ticket to the play-offs.

But, like everyone else, both sides crave that automatic spot in the Champions League and they will need to finish in the top eight for that to happen.

The great thing is that both teams still have a chance, so it adds extra spice to a game that is already going to be hotly contested.

With his Villa cap on, Gabby Agonlahor had a clear message to his former club and what he wants them to do against Celtic, because it’s not just about the three points!

Gabby Agbonlahor demands goals from Aston Villa against Celtic

It will be interesting to see how Celtic approach this match because, even a win, most likely won’t secure a top-eight spot because of how many teams are ahead of Brendan Rodgers’ side in the table.

The Bhoys are 18th in the 36-man table on 12 points, with a +1 goal difference and one point behind Leverkusen, who occupy that final automatic spot – nine other teams are ahead of Celtic, including Villa.

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Emery’s side, who are level on points with Xabi Alonso’s men ahead of their clash against already-eliminated Sparta Prague, are being urged to score as many goals as they can.

Agbonlahor noted how Leverkusen have a +1 better goal difference than Villa, so he wants his club to ‘score more than two goals than Leverkusen’, as he told talkSPORT.

Photo by Claudio Lavenia – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

“A must-win (for Villa), a massive, massive game,” said Agbonlahor. “These games between English teams and Scottish teams are games that don’t come around often, but when they do, massive occasions and Aston Villa have to win.

“They don’t just have to win. They have to try and score goals. If you are aware, Bayer Leverkusen have got Sparta Prague at home. They have one better goal difference than Aston Villa, so Villa have to score two more goals than Leverkusen and that will guarantee them top eight.”

Agbonlahor warns Villa fans about Celtic ahead of Champions League clash

The above comments from Agbonlahor might sound arrogant but he is wary of what Villa have to come up against.

Atalanta, who are Europa League winners, one of the highest scorers in Europe and challenging for the Serie A title, are a better team than Villa and Celtic secured a clean sheet in their backyard.

So, Agbonlahor warned the villa fans to be ‘aware’ that this simply ‘isn’t going to be a walk in the park’, as he also mentioned the financial benefits both clubs can get from this match and a last 16 place.

“Villa have to finish top eight,” warned Agbonlahor. “It’s not just above avoiding two extra games next month. It’s also financial, because if you finish in the top eight, then you generate £9.2 million of revenue money.

“If you finish in the play-offs, and you get through to the last 16 via the play-offs, you only get £800k. The difference in finances, when PSR is so hard on all these teams, it’s massive for Aston Villa. That could be the difference in getting Joao Felix, on loan, for instance. We need some urgency tonight. Get the ball forward. Very frustrating evening (against Monaco).

“Aston Villa fans have to be aware that this isn’t going to be a walk in the park. We talk about finances. It’s £1.8 million a win, so if you are Celtic, then you are looking at this and you are like ‘yes, we are guaranteed top 24, if we can get a win at Villa Park, then what does that do for the finances of Celtic’.”

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