Football News Update: Aston Villa to Play in the Champions League for the First Time Since 1983
In a significant development in the world of Football, Aston Villa has secured a spot in the UEFA Champions League for the 2023-24 season. This remarkable achievement comes after Tottenham Hotspur were defeated 2-0 by Manchester City on Tuesday, making it impossible for them to catch up with Villa in the Premier League standings.
Unai Emery, the Villa manager, has enjoyed an impressive first full season at the club, guiding the team to the Europa Conference League semi-finals and now confirming a top-four Premier League finish for the first time since 1996. This marks just the seventh time a non ‘big-six’ side has qualified for the Champions League in the Premier League era, following the likes of Blackburn, Newcastle, Leeds, and Leicester City.
“It’s an amazing achievement for Unai Emery to get into fourth place. They deserve what they’ve got this season,” stated Sky Sports’ Gary Neville.
Villa have been in the top five since September and have spent more than 150 days in the top-four spots, their most in a Premier League season since 1998/99.
As for the Champions League format, Villa will now enter the group stage of the revamped competition in September. The tournament will include a 36-team group, with each side taking on eight others, either home or away. The top eight teams in the group will automatically qualify for the last 16, while those finishing ninth to 24th will go into a two-legged play-off stage. The competition will then continue in its existing knockout format, leading up to the 2024/25 final at Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31.
This news is sure to excite football fans across the country, as Aston Villa looks to make their mark on the European stage once again.
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