Just a few weeks ago, coach Unai Emery even talked about the dream of winning the championship for Aston Villa. But now, his team has to enter a match considered a final with Chelsea in the middle of the week.
5 rounds ago, Aston Villa still maintained impressive form when they were tied on points with Manchester City and only 4 points behind the leading team Arsenal. However, everything quickly changed after a disappointing March month. Villa only won one of their last 5 matches in the Premier League. That was a win against Brighton with a minimum difference.
The 0-2 defeat to Wolves last weekend caused Aston Villa to drop to fourth place. Meanwhile, Liverpool and Chelsea are both approaching when the season is only about 10 rounds left.
After the defeat to Wolves, Emery admitted that the team's goals have changed from stage to stage in the season. "In September, our goal was just to stay in the league. By December, I was very happy that the team could compete for the top 5 and a Champions League spot. A month ago, I even dreamed of the championship" - the Spanish strategist shared.
Meanwhile, Chelsea is also under great pressure in the race to win a ticket to the UEFA Champions League. The defeat against Arsenal last weekend caused the London team to drop out of the top 5 before the away match to Villa Park.
Pressure on Chelsea is even greater as the club's financial situation is facing difficulties. According to new data from UEFA, this team lost up to 355 million pounds in the 2024-2025 season - the largest deficit ever recorded for a English club.
Therefore, the Champions League ticket next season is not only of honor but also has huge financial value for The Blues.
According to Swiss Ramble's financial analysis, teams participating in the Champions League this season such as Man City and Liverpool have earned about 84 million pounds, Arsenal 83 million pounds, Chelsea 80 million pounds and Tottenham about 73 million pounds.
Therefore, the confrontation between Aston Villa and Chelsea may become a turning point match for both teams in the top 4 race this season.
After this match, Aston Villa will face a challenging schedule. Unai Emery's team will face Man United at Old Trafford, a match that evokes unhappy memories when the defeat here caused them to miss the opportunity to participate in the Champions League last season.
At the end of the season, Villa also has to face two other heavyweights, Liverpool at Villa Park and Man City at the Etihad Stadium. These are matches that can directly decide the ticket to the European Cup.
Meanwhile, Chelsea also faces an equally difficult schedule. The London team will successively meet Man City and Man United at Stamford Bridge in April, before playing away at Liverpool in May.
These 3 matches are likely to play a decisive role in whether Chelsea can win a Champions League spot next season or not.
