Thankfully Celtic have qualified for the knock out stages of the Champions League ahead of tonight’s game against Aston Villa. Brendan Rodgers travels with a weakened squad to Birmingham from the one that beat Young Boys last week to secure safe passage to the next round of Europe’s elite competition.

Celtic fans started to descend on the English city from early yesterday and will continue to arrive today by land, air and sea for the big game. Celtic have improved in the competition since the hammering away to Dortmund racking up 3 wins and 3 draws including a share of the points away to Atalanta.

Tonight’s opponents Villa will be our toughest task since that night in Italy. Made even tougher by the absence of the now departed Kyogo to Rennes. The Celtic manager spoke about how the club are working on replacing Kyogo. The absence should see Adam Idah lead the line in the midlands tonight.

The suspension of Maeda and the absence of CCV who picked up an injury in training and has been ruled out by Rodgers at yesterdays press conference ahead of the big game.

Alex Valle loan spell at Celtic has come to an end and he has returned to Barcelona so that leaves us short at left back as we wait for the return of Kieran Tierney to the club.

Whatever the outcome Celtic fans can look forward to at least another away day trip and a full house at Celtic Park once again. Continued success on the European stage also brings in the money needed to continue to strengthen the Celtic squad.

Aston Villa v CELTIC F.C. Matchday Zine

Celtic postponement of yesterday’s game v Dundee was a big blow for travelling fans from Ireland and beyond who had caught early morning buses, flights and boats to be in Glasgow to cheer on the bhoys. The big winners on the day were the Glasgow pubs of a green and white persuasion.

But could the Celtic players be the real winners with games coming thick and fast twice a week? Will the rest in the build up to the big game in the Champions League against Aston Villa on Wednesday night stand to the players?

A week without a game will also give Brendan Rodgers and his backroom staff more time on the training pitch with the players. Thousands of Celtic fans are set to travel to Birmingham for the game many without tickets as per usual demand will far outweigh supply for the big game.

There are a number of Celtic fan events taking place across the city with big screens being erected for the ticketless fans. One player who will be missed is Kyogo who has led our forward line so well since big Ange brought him club. It seems a strange time to cash in on him with the knock out stages of the Champions League secured.

Adam Idah has big boots to fill with his best performances and most important goals coming when he has come off the bench and made an impact. In recent starts for the hoops he cut a frustrated figure when coming off the pitch to be replaced by Kyogo after failing to hit the target.

Celtic have been linked to a number of strikers since the Japanese striker left the club but a lot of this will be just newspapers and other media outlets trying to fill column inches on websites with more google adverts than substance. I hope the Celtic board have a plan in place to bring in a player to replace Kyogo who was a player who got you off your seat and was loved by the Celtic support and he seemed to love his time at the club.

Jota and Tierney ( if he can stay fit) will be great additions to the Celtic squad and should have no problem becoming regulars again in the starting 11. Jota is another player who will get you off your seat. The transfer window is always on our minds this time of the year and even more so now with the departure of Kyogo and our minds are also concentrated on Wednesday night in Birmingham.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes Celtic Fanzine & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast 

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Celtic fans are on the road again tonight this time travelling to Dundee as the games come thick and fast for Brendan Rodgers and the Bhoys.

Our flight was at 9am this morning from Dublin, the airport was very quiet and there were plenty of empty seats on the plane but as usual there were Celtic fans on board including some familiar faces from St. Margaret’s CSC.

Some of those fans were in Dingwall at the weekend to witness Celtic beat Ross County 4-1. Dundee sit in eight place in the table on 26 points and will have one eye on the top six place come April when the league splits. They are also coming off a draw with the rangers in their last game at Dens Park.

The result heaped more pressure on the rangers manager and his players ahead of a walk out by a section of their fans on Sunday at Ibrox.

Dundee were without 9 first team players that night against the rangers and their manager Tony Docherty made no excuses ahead of the game he just worked with what he had, got the result and moved on. While the rangers terrible away form continued along with plenty of Belgian Waffle from the rangers manager post match.

Brendan Rodgers will have all his wingers available tonight for selection with the exception of James Forest who is still ruled out.

Hopefully Johnny Kenny will make the bench as it would be great to see him get some playing time after an impressive cameo role from the bench on Saturday when he made his debut.

During yesterdays press conference the Celtic manager praised him. Could he fill the place in the Celtic squad as the third striker a position left vacant by the departure of young Roco Vata to Watford in the summer? or will he head back to Shamrock Rovers for another loan spell after doing so well with them on their journey through Europe in the Europa Conference League.

The game is live on Sky Sports and will be streamed on Celtic TV and Now TV and kicks off at 8PM.