Well it’s certainly sounding positive for Villa as with their international representatives and their champions league standard throughout the squad, there are a number of players to look out for, who seem ready to continue to impress their manager in the new campaign.
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00:00In terms of players to watch for Aston Villa this season, who could steal the limelight?
00:07Obviously it was a fantastic season for the likes of Oli Watkins and Moussa Diaby at times
00:11last season, Douglas Luiz. There's plenty of names in there that could sort of steal
00:16the show, but who could be on the radar for Villa fans to look out for this season?
00:21I think Konzo, as you mentioned, obviously impressing with England and getting a start
00:24against Switzerland in the Euros. It's a massive achievement for him. Emi Martinez
00:28as well. Penalty heroics once again for Argentina, this time in Copa America, advancing to the
00:34latter stages of that competition. But maybe a new signing, Ian Mattson in particular,
00:39coming in from Chelsea, of course was in the Champions League team of the season last season.
00:44Didn't get that many regular minutes at Chelsea, but really impressed at Burnley, really impressed
00:48at Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley Stadium. £37.5 million is a lot
00:53of money as well. It's a price tag that carries a lot of expectation, but he should slot in
00:57at that left-back position. Rotating with Lucas Dean, maybe offering a little bit more
01:02going forward. I know Dean's fantastic crossing, but he's not got that pace that Mattson will
01:06deliver. Maybe he could be inverted, get a bit further up the pitch. We'll have to wait
01:10and see what happens there. But for me, he's definitely one to watch. Ross Barkley as well,
01:14obviously making his return from Luton Town. He was on loan at Villa, but it was a COVID-ridden
01:19season, so Villa fans didn't really get to see any of him in the flesh. I think he's
01:23going to be a very popular figure, but it waits to be seen. Is he going to be a starter
01:27straightaway? Is he going to be a rotation option? There are so many options in that
01:31midfield that I think he's one to watch. And then Samuel Illing Jr. from Juventus. You've
01:36got Enzo Baranacchia as well. I don't think he'll be starting that regularly. Illing Jr.
01:40probably not going to start regularly either, but the fact he's a pacey, young, raw winger,
01:45he's got the potential to be a real option off the bench and create some excitement for
01:49fans.
01:51On that Champions League campaign, a new format with the league table system starting from
01:58next season, what are Villa's aims in the Champions League? We've discussed domestically
02:04where they want to aim in the league table to try and secure top four again and really
02:08challenge you at the top of the Premier League. But in terms of that competition, it's not
02:13just as simple as Unai Emery saying he wants to go all the way, but obviously that is the
02:17dream.
02:18I'm excited to ask Unai Emery, because I think he probably is going to say, let's go
02:21all the way. But what are his realistic expectations? Last year in the Premier League, he refused
02:26to say that Villa were even competitors for Europe, let alone the Champions League until
02:31maybe game week 30, 31. Is he going to be similar, be a bit pessimistic with the Champions
02:35League just to make sure that the hopes aren't built up too much and that the expectations
02:39aren't too high? Waits to be seen. But I think the internal target, whether it's public or
02:44not, will be to advance to the latter stages. It has to be, doesn't it? They want to compete
02:49in this competition, be one of the best clubs in the world. To be in the top 16 would be
02:53pretty impressive and trying to advance through to the next stage is an expectation I think
02:58is realistic.