Unai Emery
Aston Villa are gearing up for a crucial encounter against Chelsea on Wednesday night, following a disappointing performance against Wolves last Friday. The upcoming match is pivotal for Villa, as it could either solidify their lead over Chelsea or narrow the gap significantly. Currently, Villa are six points ahead of Chelsea, but the outcome of this clash could see that margin shrink to three points or expand to nine. The match is seen as potentially season-defining, especially after Chelsea’s recent loss to Arsenal.
Unai Emery said: “We need to try to be positive and try to go forward. Everything we did before today is now done, but still we have an advantage in the table. Of course, the power of the teams behind us is massive. I am excited and motivated to keep the position we are in. We are losing some opportunities, but we are still being in there [top five]. We have, as well, the Europa League to create a strong atmosphere and emotions to continue in the way we are in. We were in February, now in March, and this is a key moment for the season. We were so, so poor in September. Now we are much, much better – even after losing today.”
Villa’s recent form has been inconsistent, partly due to the absence of key midfield players. However, the team has a chance to push further ahead of Chelsea, despite not being the favorites. If they manage to avoid defeat, Villa will need just one more point from their matches against Manchester United and West Ham to ensure they remain above Chelsea during the international break. Following the break, Chelsea will face both Manchester clubs at home, while Villa will play against Nottingham Forest and host Sunderland.
The Chelsea match could be the last without captain John McGinn, and Youri Tielemans is expected to return after the March break. Villa are also aiming for three consecutive league wins against Chelsea, a feat not achieved since a run of four between 1978 and 1984. However, Villa’s recent home form is a concern, having scored just two goals from 76 shots in their last four league matches at Villa Park.
Christian Purslow said: “It seems to me that, once this situation started to kick in with Villa having a huge injury crisis very recently, that there was an obvious opportunity to recut the deal and say, ‘How about we let him play more games and we’ll pay you a fee for that’, but the non-negotiable for Villa would’ve been, ‘We cannot buy the player in the summer’. The stakes on Champions League qualification are so high, probably £90m to £100m of revenue next year in or out.”
In other news, former CEO Christian Purslow commented on Harvey Elliott’s situation, explaining that Elliott can only play in European games for Villa without triggering a purchase obligation. Liverpool are unlikely to allow him to play in the league, as it could impact their own Champions League qualification chances.
Looking ahead, Villa’s pre-season plans are taking shape, with reports suggesting a potential trip to Hong Kong in August for an exhibition match against a Bundesliga team, possibly Bayern Munich. This would be Villa’s first appearance in Hong Kong in 15 years, following recent summers spent in the USA and warm-weather training camps in the Middle East.
About The Author
