Because this is IT. The first leg was arguably the most important game since 1982, this one is bigger. To repeat what was said a week ago, the Villa’s whole business plan is built on being in the Champions League. We’ve still got two good chances of getting there but you don’t get medals for finishing fifth and there’s what makes this game so important.

We’ve all been on an unforgettable journey even before Unai arrived. Before him there was Deano, and since then there’s been times that have bordered on the unreal. Great days, unbelievable performances and an unquestioning belief that we’re headed in the right direction. All that’s missing is a trophy and when you look back at that journey you get the inexorable feeling that this, for the squad who’ve taken us so far, might be the last opportunity to write their names into history.

Standing in the way are Nottingham Forest. They’re on a roll at the moment, no question about it. Their morale will be sky-high and they’ll be thinking that nothing could possibly stop them. There’s just one flaw in their plan.

Because whatever they’ve done to get this far, they’ve seen nothing yet. They’re about to encounter Villa Park on a big night. They’ll be up against our players, our crowd and, more than anything, our sense of occasion. Never mind venues of legends and theatres of dreams, this is Villa Park, the most historic, magical arena in football.

It’s not going to be easy; it never is. We’ve got to put the fear of God up the opposition while remembering that we might only need one goal and we’ve got ninety minutes to score it. Forest are getting all the good press and there’s a fair chance they’ll be getting all the decisions again but there’s only one, obvious, thing to say to that.