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News
Aston Villa labelled Champions League ‘dark horses’ as coach rates them above Man City
It is testament to the progress Aston Villa have made under Unai Emery that they are even in the Champions League, let alone being considered ‘dark horses’ for the competition.
Emery’s team are one of only seven teams🐻 with a 100 per cent 𒁏record after two matchdays.
After cruising past BSC Young Boys in Switzerland, Aston Villa then stunned Bayern Munich as Jhon Duran rose𝔍 from the ✨bench to leave Manuel Neuer stranded.
Duran, six goals already despite starting only once in a🌄ll competitions, has hogged much o𝓰f the headlines.
But former Manchester United coach Benni McCarthy has seen enough from the others in claret and blue to suggest that Aston Villa may have a team ca🌞pable of emulating that Bayern victory against some of the continent’s other big-hitters.
Aston Villa backed to challenge for the Champions League
“Dark horses, I think Aston Villa,” McCarthy says, highlighting the attacking talents of Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey and Ollie Watkins as well as the quality of new signings Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen.
“I think V✅illa. Their belief is crazy, man! They’ve got all these youngsters; Rogers, Ramsey, [Duran] coming off the bench and scoring, Watkins, Youri Tielemans…
“With the addition of Onana, they h𒊎ave a bit of bite. And, at the back, no-nonsense. [Ezri] Konsa and Pau Torres is more ball-playing. And then you’ve got Lucas Digne🎃, the left-back who goes non-stop. And then they’ve got Maatsen, I think he is quality, man!”
Tiele🃏mans is playing arguabl💖y the best football of his career.
One Belgian reporter argues that ✨Aston Villa’s number ei🦋ght is at a higher level than Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong these days. Onana has been a revelation at the base of Emery’s midfield, too. T🌞hree goals from nine appearances is as many as he managed in 37 for Everton in 2023/24.
Maatsen, meanwhile, has had to be content with a substitute 🍒role so far due to the excellent form of D🍒igne on the left.
McCarth🃏y is actually more posi🐻tive about Aston Villa’s prospects than he is about those of Real Madrid and Manchester City.
Rodri absence could cost Manchester City the Champions League
Real, the reigning European champions, have underwhelmed so far with the additi🦄on of Kylian Mbappe to a previously flowing frontline creating a rather unpleasant broth with arguably one too many c♐ook in the Santiago Bernabeu kitchen.
Man City, meanwhile, have lost 📖arguably their most important player outside of Erling Haaland.
Rodri could miss the remainder of the season. And while Man Ciཧty have been linked with Martin Zubimendi of Real Sociedad, TBR understands that the former Liverpool target is▨ h⛦olding out for a switch to Real Madrid as things stand.
“I think Madrid and City,” McCarthy, who left his role on the Man United staff during the summer, said when as𒅌ked which teams he feels will underperform in this season’s C✨hampions League.
“City, Rodri not there, I think that takes some element [away]. Rodri was perfect. They𒁏 will be motivated but I🉐 just feel that losing Rodri is crucial.”
Aston Villa will beꦰ expected to make it three wins from three in the league phase when the🔥y host Bologna on October 22nd. Club Brugge, RB Leipzig, Monaco and Celtic are all winnable opponents too, with a Juventus team in transition the most daunting fixture on the schedule.