Aston Villa given ‘priority’ warning amid concern over Champions League problem

Aston Villa take on Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday night, and the Villans have been warned that an extended run in Europe could spell down news down the line

Former Aston Villa player Alan Hutton has surprisingly urged the club to prioritise their Premier League campaign and their quest for a top-five finish over their ongoing Champions League adventure. This comes ahead of what could be the club’s biggest match in decades as they face PSG at Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.

This marks Villa’s first quarter-final in the European Cup since 1983, and they enter the contest as outsiders, especially after PSG convincingly knocked out league-leading Liverpool in the previous round. Despite this, anticipation is sky-high among the Villa faithful, with supporters hoping for a repeat of the club’s historic 1982 triumph.

Yet Hutton, who made more than 200 appearances for the club, believes their main concern should be securing a strong league finish to ensure Champions League qualification next season, as they aim to re-establish themselves among Europe’s elite both domestically and on the continental stage.

“I love the Champions League, but from Unai Emery’s point of view and the clubs, [he should prioritise] finishing in the top [five],” Hutton told Betway. “The Champions League is amazing and the fans love it. They love travelling all over Europe, and of course they’ll want them to progress, but I think the bread and butter is always the league.”

The 40-year-old former defender stressed that if Villa are serious about becoming Champions League mainstays, they must concentrate on consistent league form rather than risking it all in Europe.

“If you can continuously grow the club year in, year out and finish in that top four, that’s what you’re striving for,” he continued. “That’s how you get the big players in as well, because you do have the Champions League coming off the back of that as well.”

Currently sitting seventh in the Premier League standings, Villa have surged up from ninth thanks to four wins in their past five matches. They trail fourth-place Chelsea by just two points, and only six points separate them from Bournemouth in 10th, with the fight for a top-five finish heating up as the season nears its climax.

After Arsenal’s emphatic 3-0 victory over Real Madrid on Tuesday, England’s top flight has been awarded five automatic Champions League spots for next season instead of four – a boost for Villa as they juggle a packed calendar. Emery’s men are still in contention on three fronts, with an FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace looming after their European double-header.

If they manage to overcome PSG, Villa would meet either Arsenal or Real Madrid in the semi-finals. The Gunners are in control thanks to two sublime free-kicks from Declan Rice and a clever finish from Mikel Merino, but Los Blancos remain dangerous as they return to the Bernabeu looking to produce their trademark European comeback next Wednesday.

Elsewhere in the competition, Barcelona are up against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, while Inter Milan will defend a narrow 2-1 first-leg lead against Bayern Munich at the San Siro.

Villa booked their spot in the last eight after a commanding 6-1 aggregate win over Club Brugge in the round of 16, earning a tantalising tie against PSG – a club Emery previously managed for two seasons.

Hutton, who once reached the Champions League quarter-finals himself with Tottenham, joined Villa Park in 2011. He was loaned out to Nottingham Forest, Real Mallorca, and Bolton Wanderers, but became a key figure for Villa from 2014 onwards.

He concluded his Villa career with 201 total appearances and three goals. The former Scotland international retired in 2020, shortly after parting ways with the club.

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