This week the Europa Conference League play-off draw has been completed. Let’s take a look at the best teams that Aston Villa could face in the round of 16…
A great season in the Premier League for Aston Villa has been mirrored by an excellent start to life back in Europe.
With four wins, a draw and just one defeat, the Villans secured top spot in their group and as a result bypassed the play-off stage.
With Unai Emery at the helm, Villa are one of the favourites for the competition and they have flexed their muscle so far.
It must be said that with the group stage results being finalised, several top sides have dropped down from the Europa League. In saying that, let’s now take a look at the best teams that Villa could face in the round of 16.
Who could Aston Villa play in the Conference League?
With the draw for the play-off completed this week, there are eight games which will be played in February 2024.
This sees the teams who finished third in their Europa League group come up against the second-place Conference League sides. As a result, there are some big teams dropping down into the competition to pose Villa a problem.
With that being said, who are the teams that will cause Villa the most problems?
1. Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt have been involved in European competition in all of the last two seasons and have done well. This saw them take a victory over Rangers to win the Europa League in 2022.
They then faced Real Madrid in the next season’s Super Cup but were on the end of a narrow 2-0 defeat in Helsinki.
In the play-offs they are coming up against Union Saint-Gilloise of Belgium. They currently sit top of the Belgian Pro League so won’t be easy opposition.
With their European pedigree, if they get through, they will be a dangerous prospect.
2. Real Betis
This is Real Betis’ third season in a row where they have played European football. They are yet another team to drop down into the Conference from the Europa League after finishing third.
In the last two campaigns, they were knocked out in the round of 16 against, previously mentioned, Frankfurt and Manchester United.
Although they did recently lose to Rangers, they could still pose a problem for Villa if they reach the round of 16. They face Dinamo Zagreb in the play-off in February, another tough test.
3. Ajax
Everybody knows Ajax’s European pedigree. Just four years ago they were in a Champions League semi-final, narrowly losing to Tottenham Hotspur.
This has been a difficult season on the whole for the Dutch outfit with them currently sitting in fifth in the Eredivisie. This has been a great recovery after sitting rock bottom not so long ago.
After falling out of the Europa League, they will now face Bodo/Glimt in the play-off. They will be hopeful of a win but nothing can be guaranteed, especially with their form this season.
4. Legia Warsaw
Legia Warsaw aren’t a team that has dropped out of the Europa League but have already posed the Villans a problem this season.
Defeat came in Villa’s first European fixture at the hands of Legia who used their home atmosphere to their advantage. Given the events that took place at Villa Park, the last team that Villa will want to draw is quite probably the Polish outfit.
In the play-off round, they face Molde in a tough game to predict. Given their form in Europe, they may still be confident.
