Aston Villa have started life in the Champions League in the most perfect way possible.
Unai Emery watched his ever-progressing side rock up to Bern in Switzerland and swat away Young Boys like they were veterans of this competition.
Admittedly, this is one of Aston Villa‘s easier ties, but you still have to get the job done and with three goals scored, plus a clean sheet to boot, then you can call that a perfect start.
With this revamped Champions League format, it increases the chances of teams like Villa to progress and compete in the knockout stages.
Danny Murphy was discussing what the Midlands team can do, as he had a look at the team’s squad depth and how it’s stronger than you think.
Just going by the team that didn’t start in the Swiss capital, you had Leon Bailey, Ross Barkley, Ian Maatsen, Jhon Duran, Boubacar Kamara, Emi Buendia, Tyrone Mings, Matty Cash and Diego Carlos, who were either on the bench or not in the matchday squad.
Murphy added that the Villa squad is ‘really strong’ and that they are looking ‘healthy’, as he praised Emery for working his magic.
When Emery replaced Steven Gerrard, the club was in a world of mess and looking over their shoulders, in regards to a relegation battle.
Fast forward to the present and Murphy thinks Villa will progress out of the league stage of the Champions League, as he told talkSPORT.
How far will Aston Villa go in the Champions League?
“I think his (Emery’s) influence on the players has been huge,” said Murphy. “We have seen that, not just on a European level, of course, but domestically.
“It seems like all the players under his watch are improving, not just because of his one-on-one coaching, but the tactical way they set up and the game plans. They all look on board with it. There are so many pluses to what he is doing.
“Ultimately, to be successful in Europe and domestically, you need real strength in depth and he has been backed in the market. It’s really going to help him. When you look at the bench, they had Ross Barkley, Leon Bailey, Duran who is scoring goals, Buendia who is coming back from that knee injury, Kamara to come back, Mings and Cash. The Villa squad is really strong and healthy now. There are bigger tests to come. You have to take it for what it is, they (Young Boys) were a poor side, but to play that well on an astro turf pitch. Get the job done. Should have scored a couple more. Overall, brilliant.”
Newcastle United compared to Aston Villa in the Champions League
Newcastle United were in the Champions League last season – in its old format – and they proceeded to finish bottom of the group of death – Newcastle, AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and PSG.
Murphy was asked if Villa are better set than Eddie Howe’s side were last term: “They are better set because they have got a deeper squad. They spent more money in the window to prepare for this season than Newcastle did when they prepared for theirs. The new format will help them more than it helped Newcastle
“Really positive (feeling about Villa). I don’t think they can win it. But I think they will get out of the group. The league stages.”
What also needs to be taken into account is Newcastle went from no Europe straight into the Champions League.
Whereas, Villa were playing Europa Conference League football last season. The players are used to midweek games and feeling that heat.
That has certainly helped, added by the fact that Villa have key players in Kamara and Mings returning from injury, whilst Newcastle would lose Harvey Barnes long-term and Sandro Tonali for a betting ban. They were their summer signings!
