Aston Villa want different outcomes to go their method after hopes of ending within the prime eight of the Champions League had been dented by a 1-0 defeat to AS Monaco.
Aston Villa knew a win in France would assure them a spot within the prime eight and a spot within the final 16 of the Champions League. That’s assuming Lille don’t beat Liverpool away and Feyenoord at house whereas Villa again up a loss in Monaco with one other at house to Celtic.
Securing automated qualification to the knockouts could be an impressive achievement for Unai Emery and his gamers, who defied the percentages to qualify for the Champions League with a fourth-place end within the Premier League final season.
The Villans have put in additional than a strong account of themselves in Europe this season, beating Bayern Munich in between victories towards Younger Boys and Bologna for 9 factors out of 9. Defeat at Membership Brugge got here because of a comical Tyrone Mings handball within the field however Villa (kind of) bounced again with a goalless draw at house to Serie A juggernauts Juventus.
A powerful 3-2 win at RB Leipzig put Villa in a commanding league section place forward of two winnable fixtures towards AS Monaco and Celtic.
They might not get the win that each one however secures a spot within the subsequent spherical and Emery now requires a couple of favours to keep away from the stress of a two-legged playoff tie.
Within the first time Monaco and Aston Villa – who are eighth in the Premier League – have ever met, Leon Bailey ought to have put the Premier League facet forward early on however took his eye off the ball with a large open header from shut vary.
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The French facet made Bailey and Villa pay by scoring the one purpose of the sport within the eighth minute. Ivorian defender Wilfried Singo’s commanding header from a yard out got here after Emiliano Martinez denied Thilo Kehrer’s effort from Lamine Camara’s outswinging nook.
Monaco had been on prime after the purpose as either side exchanged scoring alternatives. Spectacular 22-year-old winger Maghnes Akliouche examined Martinez once more after being discovered on the sting of the field by Eliesse Ben Seghir’s inch-perfect cut-back.
Monaco’s assault has a pleasant mixture of youth and expertise with Akliouche, Ben Seghir, 19, Takumi Minamino, 30 and Breel Embolo (who does play membership soccer), 27, inflicting the Villa defence loads of issues all through the sport.
Ollie Watkins gave the house followers a scare when he was bundled over one-on-one with goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki however the referee’s whistle was for an offside towards the England striker.
Majecki and Watkins did have their first duel shortly after. The latter did virtually all the pieces proper with a low and laborious effort throughout the purpose however the connection was not the very best and Majecki received down effectively to maintain his group forward.
Villa ought to have equalised earlier than the break however even nearer to half-time Monaco’s Akliouche missed an absolute sitter. Minamino put him by means of with solely Martinez to beat and the teen misplaced all composure, blazing over the bar from round eight yards out.
Monaco thought that they had doubled their lead after the break when Akliouche put the ball within the internet with a assured and exact first-time end. He was clearly offside from Wanderson’s glorious move and with no line drawing mandatory, the semi-automated offside system confirmed the on-field resolution very quickly in any respect. Should be good.
Villa improved within the second half however Emery nonetheless turned to tremendous sub Jhon Duran with solely 56 minutes on the clock, bringing him on for Bailey to play up entrance with Watkins, days after he stated they will play collectively and his supervisor actually must make it occur.
“I really feel like me and Jhon may possibly play up prime collectively. We’ve not had many alternatives to do this. I don’t suppose we’ve began a sport up entrance collectively, however no it’s not good to be substituted however it’s a must to settle for the supervisor’s resolution,” he stated.
Watkins and Duran have performed 36 matches collectively however very hardly ever (solely 4 occasions) do they share the pitch for greater than half an hour, with one often approaching and the starter coming off for the opposite then or shortly after. They solely have one begin up entrance collectively and that was on the ultimate day of 2023/24 when Villa misplaced 5-0 at Crystal Palace. It by no means taking place hastily makes excellent sense.
Duran couldn’t make the specified influence after a troublesome battle with match-winner Singo and now Villa are joint on factors with Monaco however two targets higher off, which is 2 locations higher off with Brest sandwiched in between for now.
Villa had some probabilities on the break however Monaco had been the higher facet on the night time and deserved their win.
Aston Villa may have jumped as much as second above Arsenal, Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen with three factors in France however defeat units up a nervy ending to their league section marketing campaign.
It’s ridiculously tight between Villa in seventh (plus Arsenal in third) and Membership Brugge all the way in which down in nineteenth, with solely three factors separating them. Emery might be grateful it is just Celtic coming to the Midlands subsequent week, although a win in any Champions League fixture is clearly not a given. He will even be grateful and possibly ought to take into account the marketing campaign a job effectively performed with a playoff place secured.
Seven groups are on 13 factors, three on 12, one on 11 and 4 on 10. Trying on the groups behind Villa, you do concern that this Monaco defeat could possibly be pricey.
Liverpool face Lille within the Champions League proper after the Villa sport. You’ll be able to watch it without spending a dime on Amazon Prime by signing up for a free trial here. Get a transfer on…
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