New UEFA Champions League format could have an affect on Aston Villa

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Aston Villa Unai Emery
Aston Villa's Spanish head coach Unai Emery celebrates after winning at the end of the English Premier League football match between Aston Villa and Arsenal at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England on December 9, 2023. Aston Villa wins 1 - 0 against Arsenal. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Aston Villa have been incredible ever since Unai Emery has taken over the club.

Last season he guided them from relegation form to securing a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

This season, however, the Spanish tactician has elevated Villa’s ambitions to new heights, as they now find themselves in contention for a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Currently occupying the fourth spot, Aston Villa boasts a five-point lead over Tottenham Hotspur, who trail closely behind in fifth place with a game in hand.

However, amid their quest for Champions League qualification, significant changes loom on the horizon for European football.

As per BirminghamLive, the revamped Champions League format, set to take effect from the next season, introduces changes that could impact Villa’s prospects.

Under the new format, 36 clubs will partake in the Champions League league phase, expanding the pool of participants and offering four additional slots for teams to vie for European glory.

Notably, the league phase will entail each participating club facing eight different opponents, with fixtures evenly split between home and away matches.

For Aston Villa, the revised Champions League format presents a compelling opportunity to bolster their Champions League aspirations.

With more spots available in the league phase, Villa stands to benefit from increased competition and a broader pathway to Champions League qualification.

As Emery continues to orchestrate Villa’s resurgence on the domestic front, the prospect of Champions League football beckons tantalisingly on the horizon.