Aston Villa have had a taste of Europe this season, and whilst their Europa Conference League campaign was ultimately in vain, their football domestically has given them the platform to take things up a notch on the continent.
After Tottenham Hotspur failed to defeat Man City, it meant that Villa were guaranteed to be in next season’s Champions League.
It’s a just reward for all of the hard work that Unai Emery, Monchi and the first-team squad have put in over the past 18 months, though there is one note of caution to be sounded.
Collymore: Villa have to go for it
Newcastle United’s sojourn into the premier European competition could be said to have been as much to blame for the incredible amount of injuries to their players as much as anything else.
A deeper squad is required if Villa want to make a splash in the competition, but that costs money and in the current climate a bunch of new signings is therefore unlikely.
What Emery doesn’t want either is for the Champions League commitments to derail their Premier League aspirations.
Regardless, former Villa hit-man, Stan Collymore, has suggested that the club need to grab their chances in Europe with both hands.
“Purely as an ex-pro, I don’t buy into this ‘I’d rather play in the Europa League or the Conference League’ because that’s usually an excuse for clubs worried about taking more than baby steps. Eighteen months ago under Steven Gerrard Villa were heading towards relegation so European football is great, but make no mistake – the financial uplift, the global stage, the ability to be able to get better players, to tie down your better players – all of a sudden becomes it infinitely easier,” he said in his exclusive column for CaughtOffside.
Aston Villa have been brilliant this season
“When you’re in the Champions League players don’t need to look around elsewhere. What’s the point unless they’re going to Manchester City who are virtually guaranteed to win a trophy? Why would…
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