Last season 'an education' as Champions League beckons
- Published
Aston Villa will need to learn to compete with the Champions League elite but they have already proved how to adapt under Unai Emery.
Domestically, and in the Europa Conference League last season, they understood the demands quickly under a manager who has more European experience than most of his squad.
It has at least given them an education before competing in Europe's premier competition and managing the workload in the Premier League.
Villa, in the Champions League after last season's fourth-place finish, open their European campaign between 17-19 September. Immediately afterwards, they host Wolves on the weekend of 21-22 September.
They have to contend with the extended Champions League competition - the group stage not finishing until the end of January - and face league games against Manchester United, Bournemouth, Liverpool, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and West Ham before the return trip to Wolves after European fixtures.
Emery has previously refused to criticise the TV schedule. Even when at Arsenal, he said it was "no problem" playing in the Premier League just days after big European fixtures and that fatigue was not an excuse.
It also makes sense to have a bigger, more experienced squad, with moves for Ross Barkley and the player-plus-cash deal with Juventus for Douglas Luiz - which should see Weston McKennie and Samuel Iling-Junior move to Villa - giving Emery further options.
And in the race to maintain their Champions League status, Villa face Newcastle United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Manchester United in their final six games.
Given the fight for fourth last season, Emery will hope another spot will be wrapped up by then.
