Red Bull Salzburg at Villa Park, Tammy and Douglas and match facts from the BBC
So, it's match day but it's like that match you play at the end of the season and it doesn't actually matter. Although winning is important and I suspect we will go into this game with a strong side and we will look to win it.
And I believe, I might be wrong here, there is a little bit of extra money the higher you finish. And cash is king!
So tonight will be fun and for tonight, I'll be in a London bar somewhere. If there are any suggestions, reach out. But in other news, we have some new players, sort of. I mean, they're new but they're not new.
And I'm not usually a fan of going back but in Douglas Luiz and Tammy Abraham I think we've done good business. First, we are short in midfield and Luiz knows what is expected of him and class is permanent. It might not have worked out for him in Italy or at Forest, but was he given enough time to shine, so to say.
Luiz should be able to fit in quite quickly and if he can get to the levels we saw of him before, he'll be a very good player for us and a valuable asset.
In Tammy, we've got a proven goal scorer and someone that I imagine enjoyed his time with us in the Championship. The Premier League as we all know is a different level, but he will want to prove himself. And if talk is true, the manager wanted him here before and that's a good sign.
Right, I've got to run. I'll set this to publish at about 10am.
Match facts from the BBC
Aston Villa and FC RB Salzburg have never faced before in a European match – the Villans’ only previous games against an Austrian side was in UEFA Europa League qualifying in both 2009-10 and 2010-11 against SK Rapid, going out both times.
FC RB Salzburg are winless in all eight major European meetings with English teams (D2 L6), losing both previous games in the UEFA Europa League against Man City in 2010-11 (0-2 home, 0-3 away).
Including qualifiers, Aston Villa have won 14 of their last 16 home matches in European competitions (D1 L1), winning each of their last six in a row. The Villans are aiming to win seven in a row at Villa Park for the very first time in European competition.
FC RB Salzburg have lost their last five away matches in major European competition – they’ve never previously lost six in a row.
All five of Aston Villa’s UEFA Europa League goals at Villa Park this season have been scored by players whose surname begins with M (x1 McGinn, x1 Maatsen, x3 Malen), although Donyell Malen has since left the club. Players whose surnames don’t begin with M have had 29 shots and scored with none.
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