Looking around while wondering who, what and where.
The week begins with the not-so-shock news that Leverkusen won’t be buying Emiliano Buendia. That’s according to Birmingham Live, who put it between Read This Hilarious Response To A Toby Carvery Review On Tripadvisor and I Walked Down New Street At One AM – And Nowhwere Was Open.
There’s a few plans doing the rounds showing an expanded North Stand which look a bit impressive but won’t do much about the existing seats for anyone who’s taller than five foot six.
We find out who we’re playing in the Champion League quarter-finals (which is a bit presumptuous but so what?) and it won’t be the nation’s favourites. Paris here we come; just got to get the routine matter of not losing tomorrow night out of the way first. Which would have been tricky once but we’re Unai Emery’s Aston Villa now, not Typical Villa. You look at the team, you see who’s on the bench and you think “Jeeez – when did that happen?” We’ve got players who could get into any side in the world; we’ve got subs not many teams would turn their nose up at. It’s all coming together.
There was the big flag and the anthem and the usual roar. Then there was forty-five minutes of what looked like ordinary, pedestrian football that caused the crowd to quieten but was exactly what was needed. Brugge had a player sent off, which made their chances even worse than they were at kick-off and there was nothing to get excited about because there was no need.
Unai made a couple of changes at half-time and it didn’t take long for them to have the require effect. Marco Asensio scored, then hit the post. Ian Maatsen got a second and Asensio got a third. It was all very routine; we stepped up a gear when we needed to, did what was required and then saw the game out. A routine, never having to be anywhere near our best, unremarkable win – that put us into the Champions League quarter-finals. Truly, these are the days of our lives. PSG will be a lot harder but on their day this team can beat anyone. Sometimes I think the only people who need convincing of that are ourselves.
Barnsley become the next club whose results to keep an eye on as Conor Hourihane is their manager until the end of the season.
Something called the Sun runs a big story on the shock news of Prince William being a Villa supporter. Hopefully when he becomes king he’ll close them down.
The international squad are announced, with few surprises and more proof of big-club bias with the inclusion of Marcus Rashford.
Villa will be an Adidas elite team from next season, with a “predominantly Burgundy” shirt paying tribute to the Holte End. I suppose that as an elite team it’ll cost more. One thing that won’t cost more, surprisingly, are PSG ticket prices, which stay at the same bargain rates as all the previous Champions League games.
We beat Plymouth 3-0 in the Youth Cup quarter-final and we’ll play Manchester United in the semis. Well done the yoof.
And with us having already played ages ago we get the weekend off. Most of the results go our way and Newcastle win their first trophy since rationing. There isn’t much fuss made of it.
