John McGinn Aston Villa
Aston Villa captain John McGinn believes that clubs’ and players’ workloads need to be managed more effectively in an era where there is more football being played than ever before. Villa’s Champions League campaign, which kicked off in Switzerland with a 3-0 win over Young Boys, is a testament to their performance last season. However, the increased game time poses a significant challenge for the squad. Considering that there are now at least eight games to be played per club, as opposed to six, and Villa’s commitment in the EFL Cup, the team is currently playing nearly two games a week.
John McGinn said “I do think that the fixture schedule is getting out of hand. We are extremely lucky to be paid very well to do a job we love, but on the mental side, you need that time to switch off. I think I’ve experienced both sides of the coin. When we were mid-table, not playing as many games and not having much to play for at the end of the season, we were desperate to play more games and be more successful. The expectation in the dressing room is that we finish in the top eight and go all the way. We know what we are capable of and that we belong at this level.”
McGinn also touched on last season’s Europa Conference League campaign, where Villa fell short of their goals.
John McGinn said “I think there was more expectation and pressure on us to get far in the Europa Conference League last season. We embraced that we were the favourites to go and win that tournament and we couldn’t deliver on that. That experience has only made us stronger to go further this year,”
Looking ahead to upcoming challenges, McGinn expressed his excitement for the marquee fixtures.
John McGinn said “Playing Bayern Munich and Juventus at Villa Park will be special, I cannot wait for that atmosphere. I’m glad we’ve been able to deliver that to our supporters.”
In related news, Bayern Munich will be missing three players for their clash against Aston Villa as they remain hopeful about Harry Kane’s injury status. Meanwhile, Harry Kane has addressed the ‘painful’ injury that has cast doubt on his availability for the Villa match.
