Ollie Watkins will be aiming to make himself a hero when Aston Villa welcome Bayern Munich to Villa Park for an enthralling night of Champions League football.
Aston Villa can class themselves a a sleeping giant that was put back on their feet by Dean Smith and is now starting to roar under Unai Emery.
It wasn’t long ago that the club was in England’s second tier, struggling, in a financial mess and worlds away from the Premier League, never mind the Champions League.
But it proves what stability, brains in the dugout, brilliant decision-making, outstanding recruitment, patience, huge investment, togetherness and strong leadership from the top can do.
When you are in the mess Aston Villa found themselves in, then you can quickly be forgotten about and the size of the club can weaken.
History tells you that Villa are one of English football’s biggest clubs and many don’t realise until they enter the four walls of Bodymoor Heath.
Watkins touched upon being at Villa now and how it’s ‘such a lovely place to be’ as he lauded his manager for getting the club where they are at.
Steven Gerrard’s reign at Villa was disastrous, but Emery, within a blink of an eye, has turned it all around and now the club is getting recognised again on the grand stage.
Watkins added that, with Villa now in the Champions League, he is happy for ‘people outside this club to see the stature of it’, as quoted by Birmingham Live.
Aston Villa’s stature ahead of Champions League clash against Bayern Munich
“Not a pinch me moment,” admitted Watkins about playing in the Champions League. “But more one where we look back at how quickly everything has turned around.
“Since he (Emery) set foot in the door it has been so positive. We have won more than we have lost and we are only getting better and improving.
“It is such a lovely place to be, this club, especially as a player but also for the fans and for people outside this club to see the stature of it, improving and getting better, every day and each week.”
Ollie Watkins v Harry Kane
An interesting match-up awaits everyone because it’s England’s number one striker against the man who is trying to dethrone him.
Harry Kane has travelled with the Munich squad to face Villa after he was an injury doubt and you expect him to start.
But who comes out on top between the two is going to be very, very interesting because Villa score for fun, especially at home.
Villa’s only problem is that, so do Bayern, so if you see a goal-fest in the Midlands, then don’t be surprised.
