Stiliyan Petrov: Aston Villa and Celtic star on why he won't be picking sides in his own 'derby'

Petrov spent a combined 15 years and 530 appearances at the two, winning four league titles with the Scottish giants before moving south of the border and being part of the Villa team which recorded three straight sixth-placed finishes under Martin O’Neill, prior to his career being ended early by leukaemia.

But while the Bulgaria international has maintained a respectful neutrality ever since last August’s draw paired them together, in the final round of league phase matches, he believes it would be hard to pick a winner in any case.

Petrov played when Celtic beat both Blackburn and Liverpool on route to reaching the 2003 Uefa Cup final and though the financial gap between the English and Scottish top tiers might have grown considerably in the two decades since, he does not believe Villa can be considered favourites on Wednesday night.

"In the Champions League there is no such thing,” he explained. "Both teams will be analysing their chances.

"Villa are capable of playing great football, high tempo with great intensity. In fact, both teams play with great intensity.

"Both teams have incredible managers and are tactically very well prepared. It will be an exciting game to watch.”

Celtic won at both Ewood Park and Anfield on their famous run and Petrov knows precisely how the current Hoops players will feel, as they try to take down Villa.

He continued: "I remember the build up to the Blackburn and Liverpool games. I don't know who was more excited - the fans or the players!

"These are the type of games where you want to show you belong in Europe at the top level.

"Both Unai Emery and (Celtic boss) Brendan Rodgers will be looking forward to that challenge.

"Because the whole world will be watching this game and waiting to see whether Scotland or England comes out on top.

"One team plays in the Champions League every season. The other, which is Villa, has an ambitious manager with ambitious owners who would love to qualify regularly for this competition.

"The interest will go far beyond Britain. The whole of Europe and beyond are interested in this tie.”

Both teams are already guaranteed a place in next month’s play-off round, though it is Villa who are best placed to secure progression straight through to the last-16 with a win.

Regardless of how Wednesday night plays out, Petrov is hopeful Unai Emery’s men can progress as far as possible in this year’s competition after admitting regret at the club’s European failings in his playing days.

O’Neill famously sacrificed Villa’s Europa League ambitions in 2009 in a failed pursuit of a top-four finish. They then lost the League Cup final to Manchester United a year later and Petrov hopes breaking the club’s long trophy drought is something else Emery’s team can accomplish.

He said: “We got very close when I was playing. That League Cup final.

“But that is what the game is all about. You get close and there are big moments and you just lack something to achieve it. I hope this Villa team, these boys, have enough to achieve it.

Petrov continued: “Breaking into the top four of the Premier League was our big priority at the time.

"For a couple of seasons we missed that target by a couple of points which was really disappointing. 

"I believe that team could have achieved more in Europe and I look back with regrets and believe we should have done better. I agree we should have done much more for Villa on the European stage.”

Villa have already beaten Bayern Munich and drawn with Juventus in this year’s Champions League and while last week’s 1-0 defeat in Monaco was disappointing, Petrov has been impressed at how Emery’s team have performed in their first season back among the European elite. The prospect of Villa playing Celtic in any competition, let alone the Champions League, seemed remote only a couple of years ago.

“Everyone knows about Unai Emery’s European record and it feels like he has brought that to Villa,” he said. “He has given belief, they have the manager, the fanbase and the quality to go and achieve more. 

“Those boys have gone out there, taken on the challenge and have managed to perform. There have been some great performances so far.”

Villa supporters will hope for another one on Wednesday night to propel their team firmly into the competition’s latter stages. Petrov, meanwhile, is content to sit back and soak up the occasion.

"When the draw was made my wife texted me to say: 'It's Villa vs Celtic in the Stilyan Petrov derby!',” he smiles.

“I think with what I have been through and everything I experienced at those two clubs, with my illness, I just can’t divide. Every team I watch either of the teams I have a smile on my face and support them both.

"People have been asking me who I'll be supporting since the draw was made.

"I decided to say it's two great clubs meeting each other and two great sets of supporters meeting each other.

"It will be a great game for the neutral to watch because the game will be exciting, and the atmosphere will be electric. And I'm happy to leave it there, without a prediction."