John McGinn is gearing up for a highly anticipated clash against Celtic in the Champions League in January.
The newly revamped Champions League format has pitted Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa in what promises to be a thrilling match-up.
For McGinn, who captains Villa, this game holds extra significance as he will be facing his boyhood club, a team that his family passionately supports.
Although McGinn has acknowledged that his family members may be rooting against him when Celtic visit Villa Park on January 29, the dynamic midfielder, now 29 years old and in the prime of his career, has successfully guided Villa from the Championship to the Champions League.
When McGinn first showcased his talents in the Scottish Premiership, scoring goals against Celtic, there were expectations that he would eventually end up playing for the Hoops. However, a move to Villa Park in a £2.5 million deal changed the course of his career.
While many initially believed that McGinn would join Celtic due to his family ties, the opportunity at Villa came as a surprise. The midfielder’s brother, Paul, even admitted that he never would have imagined John reaching the heights he has achieved if he had signed for Celtic.
As McGinn prepares to face Celtic as an Aston Villa player in the Champions League, the match is set to be a highly charged affair with both teams aiming to secure a spot in the play-offs. It will be a testament to McGinn’s journey from Hibernian to Villa and the impact he has had on the team’s rise to the upper echelons of European football.
