Aston Villa Premier League Odds: Europa demands could be a hinderance

Aston Villa enjoyed a brilliant 2024/25 campaign, narrowly missing out on the Champions League places, but they'll still have European football to contend with this year in the form of the Europa League.

Below you will find my prediction for the upcoming campaign using Aston Villa Premier League Odds.

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Premier League Odds page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices.

It’s been another impressive 12 months for Unai Emery’s side.

Nobody in claret and blue will forget those memorable trips last year to Berne, Bruges, Leipzig, Paris and Monaco in a hurry, or the run to the FA Cup semi-finals despite a disappointing defeat Crystal Palace.

Villa couldn't secure Champions League football for a second successive season, as they missed out on goal difference due to a defeat to Manchester United on the final game of the campaign. However, Emery now returns to a competition he knows better than any other - the Europa League.

Emery has lifted the Europa League four times - three-in-a-row with Sevilla and once with Villarreal - and he also made the final during his time as Arsenal manager, ultimately losing to London rivals Chelsea. So, this competition is surely a realistic opportunity to win a trophy with the Spaniard at the helm.

In terms of the league, Villa flew out of the blocks last season losing just one of their opening 13 fixtures, but a hectic schedule ended up being their undoing. The Thursday-Sunday schedule has proven to take its toll on squads, and question marks remain whether Villa's squad can handle those demands.

Transfer Business:

Transfers In: Yasin Ozcan (Kasimpasa - £7m), Marco Bizot (Stade Brest - undisclosed), Evann Guessand (Nice - £26m)

Transfers Out: Kaine Kesler-Hayden (Coventry City - £3.5m), Philippe Coutinho (Vasco da Gama – free), Robin Olsen ( Malmo – free) Filip Marschall (Stevenage – undisclosed) Enzo Barrenechea (Benfica – loan), Kortney Hause (released)

In terms of additions, Yasin Ozcan has arrived from Kasimpasa after signing a pre-contract in January and Marco Bizot has joined from Stade Brest, which makes sense given the rumours surrounding Emi Martinez’s future at the club.

After the sales of the likes of Douglas Luiz and Jhon Duran in recent years, Ollie Watkins is latest name linked with a move away from Villa Park. Evann Guessand has been brought in from Nice to provide a boost to the forward line, although the Ivory Coast forward may be Watkins' replacement.

The potential departure of the England international would be a significant blow to Villa - Harry Kane is the only Englishman to register more goals and assists in Europe’s top five leagues across the past five seasons than Watkins, signalling his importance to this Villa side.

Key Player: Youri Tielemans

The Belgian midfielder is the one that makes this Villa side tick - his 126 completed passes in the 3-2 win over Everton in November 2024 set a Premier League record.

Nothing illustrates Tieleman's growing importance more than the amount of time he has spent on the pitch. In his first season at Villa Park, he played just 1,620 minutes in the Premier League, waiting until November for his first start.

Last season - despite featuring in just four more games - Tielemans nearly doubled the amount, playing 3,032 minutes.

The former Leicester man had 15 goal involvements from midfield during the 2024/25 campaign, and was voted both Supporters' and Players' Player of the season. Keeping the 28-year-old fit is a must - and Emery considers him one of the 'leaders' out on the pitch.

Prediction: 8th

Can Villa handle the demands of the Thursday-Sunday matchweeks? We're not sure they have the depth required to do so.

If there's a chance for Emery to win his fifth Europa League, then no doubt that will be the focus, and their league position will be an afterthought.

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