THIS is the shocking moment Aston Villa and Celtic fans clashed on the streets of Birmingham before tonight’s Champions League clash.
It’s always a fiery encounter when one of England’s top clubs face a Scottish heavyweight in Europe.
X / hooliganscz1999Celtic and Aston Villa fans clash near Villa Park[/caption]
X / hooliganscz1999Flares were launched towards the home fans[/caption]
And punters tried their best to crank the heat up even further after going head-to-head in an encounter just a short walk away from Villa Park.
Videos show Aston Villa fans gathering on Witton Road – less than half a mile away from the stadium – with flares and banners while being surrounded by a heavy police presence.
Moments later the supporters were seen walking towards Witton Station before stopping on the street and standing their ground with a section of Celtic fans appearing to be at other side of the road.
The two sets of supporters shouted and chanted at each other and flares were even seen being launched in the direction of the home fans.
Cops swarmed the scene in an attempt to get the situation under control and the street was later closed to the public amid the chaos.
The fiery encounter appeared to take place around 5.30pm – two-and-a-half hours before kick-off.
The road was then reopened at 6.30pm.
West Midlands Police confirmed there were no fans injured during the altercation.
A statement read: “A small number of flares were lit by Celtic fans as they arrived on Witton Road, Aston, for today’s Aston Villa vs Celtic game. There were no injuries and the fans were quickly dispersed.”
Celtic and Aston Villa face off tonight in a huge blockbuster showdown to finish their league phase campaign.
Both teams already have their spots in the play-off secured but a win for either side could see them take their place in the top eight.
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
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