Celtic and Aston Villa produced a pulsating evening at Villa Park with Celtic rousing themselves to come from 2-0 down to ultimately run out 4-2 winners to an Aston Villa side that are on their way to a top eight place.
Celtic will now play Bayern Munich or Real Madrid in the play-off.
The Hoops finished 21st in the league phase meaning they will face either the side finishing 11th or 12th. Celtic and Manchester City will go into Friday’s draw with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich to determine which side they will face.
Celtic know they will play the first match at home at Celtic Park before the return leg on the road.
The first leg will be played on either Tuesday, February 11 or Wednesday, February 12 with the second leg on Tuesday, February 18 or Wednesday, February 19.
Brendan Rodgers will draw positives from the manner in which Celtic showed some resilience before they were undone in the second period as Morgan Rogers claimed a hat-trick to ensure that Adam Idah’s brace counted for little. There was time for Ollie Watkins to sky a notable spot-kick moments after he had put Villa back in front on the hour mark.
Celtic were blown away immediately with Morgan Rogers netting two goals in 90 seconds – the first player in Champions League history to score two goals inside the opening five minutes – to give the Parkhead side the proverbial mountain to climb.
Rogers netted his first after Jacob Ramsey’s cutback set him up to get Villa off to a flier and quickly suck the wind out of Celtic’s sails. Rattled, it got worse again for the Parkhead side before they had had time to compose themselves.
Reo Hatate gifted possession inside his own half with Rogers letting loose. His effort took a deflection as it dipped over Kasper Schmeichel and into the top corner.
With no Cameron Carter-Vickers at the back, Celtic looked all over the place as Villa pulled them apart.
A tame header from Auston Trusty almost led to a third for Villa only for Ramsey to fluff his lines. He couldn’t catch the effort cleanly with the ball bouncing off the post and spinning into the air before Schmeichel eventually claimed.
The hosts hit the post and while Alistair Johnston had to hook an Ollie Watkins effort off the line before Celtic slowly managed to rally.
It was Idah who got them back into it with a quick fire double of his own. The striker became he first player from the Republic of Ireland to score twice in a game in the European Cup/Champions League since Ronnie Whelan for Liverpool against Benfica in March 1984 with a brace that completely flipped the narrative of the evening.
He initially pulled Celtic back into it after adjusting to convert a Greg Taylor cross that had nicked off of John McGann – introduced off the bench for the injured Matty Cash – with Idah adjusting to whip his leg out and instinctively get on the end of the it to convert.
Just over a minute later and he had added his and Celtic’s second.
Arne Engels provided Hatate who fired a ball into the middle of the six-yard box with Idah anticipating it to race on and convert.
Rogers dragged an effort wide of the target as Villa looked to re-establish their lead before they claimed it just on the hour mark just as Celtic were caught out on the attack.
Leon Bailey supplied McGinn who drove forward and shrugged off the attention of Engels to feed Ramsay.
With Celtic exposed, Ramsay squared to Watkins who kept his composure to stroke the ball past Schmeichel for his first Champions League goal.
Villa’s lead ought to have been more commanding after Trusty was penalised for a challenge on Watkins. The American defender was irked at the award, believing he had got some of the ball but the decision stood.
He would have felt that justice was served from the spot as Watkins slipped and ended up on his backside with his penalty wildly high and wide.
Not that it took the wind out of Villa’s sails. Schmeichel had to stick out a leg to deny Watkins although Celtic, too, did not lose faith.
Hatate send a fizzing effort just wide of the mark while Idah forced to a corner after collecting a glorious pass from the outside of Nicolas Kuhn’s boot that split the Villa defence. From an acute angle, Idah’s effort was saved by Emi Martinez before spilling out of play.
There was more to come from Villa as Morgan claimed his hat-trick.
It was a nightmare for Celtic kid Dane Murray as he was robbed by Watkins deep inside his own box. He stuck it on a plate for Watkins who was never going to miss from close range.
Bayern or Real Madrid lie in wait now for Celtic.
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