It isn’t the fear of being caught up in any problems, but rather the worry that they’ll happen, have no connection with football and Villa will get the blame. We often say that the national media ignore us too often but this time the eyes of the world will be on us and I wish they were looking the other way. This is no ordinary match, the build-up is nothing like we’ve ever experienced and whatever happens on the pitch won’t be the main story on Friday. The nearest comparison would be an international tournament thirty-odd years ago when there were three times more news reporters than football writers and they were offering money to have bricks put through windows.

In the middle of all this nonsense a football match will break out. I’ve no idea what Maccabi are like. They’re doing well in the Israeli league, however good that is, but haven’t been too clever in the Europa. Neither were we last match so that needs to be put right. I can see Unai putting out a strong team and Emiliano Martinez should be playing if only as punishment for getting sent off at Old Trafford and putting us in this position. We might see Harvey Elliott, we might even see one or two youngsters getting a run-out when we’re about six up after an hour.