Police in England have released a statement outlining their plans for Celtic’s trip to Villa Park to face Aston Villa in the Champions League.
The Hoops face the Villains in their final Champions League league game of the season before the knockout play-offs next month. With a large number of Celtic supporters expected to attend the match, fans are also set to take over the surrounding areas, filling pubs and restaurants pre-match to soak in the atmosphere.
As always, Celtic fans will turn out in sensational numbers, as they so often do on European nights, both home and away. Ultimately, with Celtic’s fate of reaching the next round sealed, it will be a more relaxed atmosphere than Wednesday against Young Boys.
With Hoops supporters winning the FIFA Fair Play Award in 2003 for their behaviour and bonhomie during the UEFA Cup Final in Seville, despite the defeat against Porto in extra time, with no arrests made.
In 2017, supporters were further recognised, winning FIFA’s Best Fans award for their tribute to the Lisbon Lions in May, marking the 50th anniversary of the club’s European Cup victory. The award was based on voting from other clubs’ supporters on FIFA’s website.
Superintendent Jack Hadley, the match commander for Wednesday’s contest, said via (PA News Agency) and (The Herald), “We’re looking forward to another great Champions League occasion here in Birmingham.
“We are anticipating a large number of people coming into the city and we want everyone to enjoy what it has to offer.
“We’ll have additional officers in and around the city centre and as a police force we are used to dealing with large events such as high-profile football matches.
“We’ll have plans in place to allow fans to savour the occasion, and city, and keep the wider public safe.”
Celtic supporters will look to, as they so often do, support the club proudly against Unai Emery’s side in what will be yet another Battle of Britain. With images and videos of the scenes created in Manchester by the Ibrox side over the last three days, it’s yet another chance to show why Celtic is a club renowned throughout the world.
