Aston Villa returned to the big stage, first reaching the top of the table in the Premier League and then staying there - it was enough for the giants from Birmingham to take a place in the Champions League.
The "Lions" celebrated their return to the biggest stage with a convincing victory over the Young Boys in the first round (3:0), and tonight they have their first home game in the European elite since 1983. Villa fans have been waiting for the big night for 41 years. is, and the opponent for this moment can hardly be more glamorous - Bayern, the giant of world football, is coming to "Vila Park", a team that under the command of a new coach Vensana Company believes that he has the quality to get involved in the fight for the title of champion of the Old Continent.
Aston Villa and Bayern have a common history in this competition, because they played the final in 1982 and the English team celebrated - it was 1:0 at the famous "De Kuip" in Rotterdam, the only goal was scored by Peter Vit, so she became the ruler of Europe for the first and only time so far.
- We all know what kind of history this club has and we did everything to return it to the teams that are the cream of European football - said the manager of Aston Villa Unai Emery. Villa opened the season well - in six games in the Premier League they have four wins and a draw and a loss, in the Champions League they justified their role as favorites in Switzerland... All this leads to the conclusion that the Bavarians have a tough job ahead of them in Birmingham, with or without Harry Kane who is under a big question mark after the wrist injury he suffered on Saturday against Bayer.
1982.
Aston Villa won the only title of European champion in the club's history. In the final in Rotterdam, they beat Bayern 1:0 with a goal by Peter Witt
- These are the matches we wanted to give to the fans. Aston Villa deserves to be part of the Champions League, and I'm sure we have the quality not to be episodic, but serious actors - Emery added.
BAYERN'S ENDLESS SERIES
Emery has lost just three of his last 20 group stage games in the Champions League. He experienced one of those defeats precisely against Bayern - in 2017, while he was sitting on the bench of Paris Saint-Germain.
- Bayern is a giant that opened the season very well. It is a team with a lot of quality in all positions, which always threatens danger - said Emery.
In the first round of the Champions League, the giant was merciless against Dinamo Zagreb, to whom he scored as many as nine goals - it was 9:2, Kane scored four times, three of them from penalties. The fact that Bayern have not been defeated in 41 matches in the group stage of the Champions League shows how difficult the task is for Aston Villa. More precisely, 40 in the group and one in the new format, which opened with a goal against the "Blues"...
- We came to win, but we don't get carried away that it's an easy job. I know English football well, I know how difficult it is in Birmingham and how aggressive Emery's teams can be - said Kompani.
DABANOVIĆ AT THE CENTER IN LIVERPOOL
Liverpool vs. Bologna - it is known who is the favorite at "Anfield", but for the Montenegrin football public, that match is particularly interesting because its actor will be our referee. Nikola Dabanović. They will help him Srdjan Jovanovic i Vladan Todorovic, while the fourth arbitrator Miloš Bosković.
The "Reds" are always favorites on their home field, and a second win against a team from Italy (after they were better than Milan) would show the team's great ambitions Arnea Slota.
- Bologna is a team that loses hard, never gives up. We especially know how complicated it is to play against teams that play man-to-man pressing all over the field, that's what Atalanta did to Liverpool last season, and we have to be ready for something similar. One thing is certain - Bologna must not be underestimated - said Slot.
He is ready for the first European night at Anfield.
- I was lucky enough to be in charge of Feyenoord, where all European nights are special. However, many have told me that here it is a different dimension. I can't wait to experience that too - the Dutchman's message.
Real Madrid (sa Kylian Mbappe even if on the bench) visiting Lilo, Juventus without injury Vasilija Adžić goes to Leipzig, while Atlético Madrid awaits a serious task in Lisbon against Benfica. Dynamo na Maksimir, led by a returning coach Suddenly Bjelica, Monaco is waiting and wants to improve the impression after the debacle in Munich...
Round 2 pairings: Girona - Feyenoord, Shakhtar - Atalanta (18.45:21 p.m.), Aston Villa - Bayern, Benfica - Atletico Madrid, Dinamo Zagreb - Monaco, Lille - Real Madrid, Liverpool - Bologna, Leipzig - Juventus, Sturm - Club Brugge (XNUMX p.m.).
Bonus video:
