Aston Villa and Ajax are preparing for a heavyweight showdown in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night.
The 1st leg will be played in Amsterdam, before the return leg takes place next Thursday.
For many of the Ajax players, this will be a new experience playing against these Aston Villa players and then at Villa Park for the 2nd leg, but not for Jordan Henderson.
After leaving Liverpool in the summer, he experienced it only last season, and ahead of the game, he spoke in glowing terms about the club, as he told his pre-match press conference.
Jordan Henderson described Villa Park’s atmosphere as ‘very good’, how they are a ‘huge club’ and with fans who are ‘incredible’.
A strong following will be in the Netherlands’ capital on Thursday night hoping for Unai Emery to sparkle his European magic on this team.
The Spanish coach has dominated at a level higher up than this, so you should expect him to find this tournament a relative breeze.
That’s what you originally thought before being drawn against a team like Ajax because they are truly one of Europe’s heavyweight teams, even if they are going through a troubling period.
Jordan Henderson on Aston Villa fans and Villa Park
“The atmosphere is very good,” said Henderson about Villa Park. “It’s always really good.
“The fanbase of Aston Villa, it’s a huge club. Fans are incredible really. They love football, so it will be an amazing atmosphere there, I am sure.”
Aston Villa’s midfield
This is where the game is going to be won and lost. If we can play out from the back and filter the ball through the final third, then Ajax won’t live with us.
Their issue, all season long, has been their defence and inability to control matches from the middle of the park, with several changes in system.
They have brought in Henderson for some much-needed experience and leadership qualities, but at the end of the day, he is 33 and coming up against some serious quality.
John McGinn and Douglas Luiz have been two of the best players in the Premier League this season.
They are at the top of their games and you suspect they will eat alive the weaknesses of Ajax, who after a very poor start to the campaign, are now starting to pick up.
