Aston Villa

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

Image source, Getty Images

"Emi Martinez speculation continues," announces the Aston Villa page of the Express & Star's website, which also carries two photographs of Martinez with his young family, apparently taken just a few hours apart.

In one, all are beaming, at the grand opening of Mrs Martinez's new shop in Tamworth. In the other, they are taking in the adulation of the Villa fans after their final home game on Friday night, with Martinez looking wistfully into the stands. Seconds earlier, he had been seen apparently wiping away tears.

Could this have been a farewell? Does this look to you like a family about to move to Saudi Arabia, or anywhere?

Speculation is the way we pass the time until facts become clear and the biggest unknown variable in this situation is whether Villa will qualify for the Champions League next season.

We might argue that Villa's needs for next season might not differ much either way. Their squad requires refreshment not wholesale upgrade. They proved competitive at the highest level, gave overall favourites Paris St-Germain a serious fright, and lasted longer in the Champions League than the Premier League champions.

You can never have too many good players, but if Villa only end up replacing any departures with players of similar standard - younger, perhaps - there is every reason to think they can be equally competitive again.

Ensuring sufficient squad depth would be important, especially if they go into the Europa or Conference Leagues, where they might play even more games, given the performance of English clubs this season.

But there is no doubt that being in the Champions League would strengthen their position in two important ways: obvious financial muscle and football status. Being a Champions League club undoubtedly makes Villa more attractive to ambitious new players while their current squad, now proven at that level, surely want to stay there.

Mindful of PSR regulations and how close Villa have had to operate to the line, this might mean some football realpolitik. Few will want a crown jewel like Martinez to go, just as there was disappointment when Villa sold Douglas Luiz last year.

But, especially if they remain still sixth after Sunday, it may be that Villa's long-term interest will be better served by selling a player at their peak, and betting on their proven ability to effectively reinvest the proceeds.

Would selling Martinez be a wise idea? Let us know

Listen to full commentary of Manchester United v Aston Villa at 16:00 BST on Sunday on BBC Radio WM [95.6FM/DAB Birmingham/Freeview]

Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights

Image source, Getty Images

Each team in the race for the top five will have to keep an eye on other results, but deep down, you just want to be able to focus on your own business.

You want to be able to win your game out on the pitch, but the nature of the matches are really different. You have the head-to-head between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea. Then you have the likes of Manchester City playing away, Aston Villa playing away, you have got Newcastle playing at home against Everton, and when you are at home you are always going to be tough to play. So it is going to be a really, really nervous phase for all those teams involved.

How do I see it playing out? I am not sure I could tell you right now which way it is going to go. It just comes down to moments, and that is really cliche but a one-off game is almost like a final. As it stands, to go into the weekend knowing that you have a real chance, the fans of all the teams will be nervous, but you are one win away from being there.

As a player on the pitch, you absolutely get a sense of what is going on elsewhere, especially if you are at home.

You know what is happening, but then how does that affect your game? You could be losing, you could be up against it at one point, but then other teams start losing or drawing and you are back in the qualifying spots. How do you manage the next moments? How do you manage the last 10 to 15 minutes of the game when a result is one way or the other? Teams can score multiple goals in the blink of an eye, and desperation is one of the real causes for that. All of a sudden, when the kitchen sink is being thrown at people, anything is possible.

As a player, it can be really exciting. You want things to be going your way, but it is very hard to only focus on your game when other things matter at the same time. There is a double level of anxiety because you can control one thing but you cannot control the other, so you can't ever be comfortable.

From the outside, it is an exciting situation, but from the inside, you just hope that you are winning your game of football so you can just take all that out of it.

The 'as it stands' type days, they are some of the best days in football.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Image source, Aston Villa FC

Aston Villa have unveiled the club's new 2025-26 away kit, featuring a design on the shoulder inspired by the Bullring in Birmingham.

Villa are opening a a new club store in the Bullring shopping area on Thursday where the new kit - also featuring a 'Villans' sign-off on the back neck and a heat-applied club badge on the chest - will be sold.

Villa's president of business Chris Heck said: "We wanted this to be a representation of our iconic home city, where a lot of our fans away-day journeys start and end."

Kit makers Adidas said: "With Aston Villa's away kit, we wanted to create something that goes beyond performance – a jersey that captures the bold, modern spirit of Birmingham. The Bullring's architecture served as the perfect inspiration to tell the story of innovation and pride that run through the city and its football club."

Unai Emery's side will wear the kit for the first time in Sunday's final Premier League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

What do you think? Choose how you feel below.

The race for the three remaining Champions League qualification spots in the Premier League is going right down to the wire.

With one round of fixtures remaining, just three points separate Manchester City in third and Nottingham Forest in seventh.

With five teams vying for three positions, it leaves some clubs with their fate in their own hands, while others will be relying on favours to secure their place.

Newcastle United and Chelsea know that wins will guarantee them spots in Europe's elite competition in 2025-26.

And, with a two points and a 17-goal cushion, just a point but would all but guarantee City a place.

Nottingham Forest, who have spent much of the season occupying one of those top five spots, will need to beat Chelsea and hope for a slip up from teams above them, while Aston Villa will also be hoping for a bit of help from elsewhere.

It is set to be an anxious Sunday for those watching in the stadium and elsewhere.

But where do you think all five teams will finish?

Make your selection here

David Michael
Fan writer

We asked our Aston Villa fan contributor for their four candidates for player of the season and you can now select your top one.

Youri Tielemans

After taking almost half a season to start a league game last season, the Belgium midfielder has been Villa's only ever-present starter this time around. A revelation under Unai Emery, he is now very much the heartbeat of the team. His deeper role limits headline stats, but his influence has been essential for Villa.

Morgan Rogers

At just 22, Rogers has quickly proven an astute signing for Villa, breaking into the England set-up and becoming one of the first names on Emery's teamsheet. Eight goals and 10 assists so far this season only hint at his potential. Still developing and adapting his game under Emery, once his intuition fully syncs in with a growing familiarity of his role, his ceiling looks impressively high.

John McGinn

You could argue that the Villa captain does not even have a fixed starting role in the Villa team. Earlier in the season, he was important in covering injuries. More recently, he has come into some of his best form in a Villa shirt, particularly proving an inspiration in the Champions League, with three goals and two assists.

Lucas Digne

Despite competition from £37m man Ian Maatsen, Digne quietly became Villa's most consistent defender. In a backline that often lacked cohesion, the Frenchman stood out with his reliability, work-rate and delivery. His re-emergence as first-choice left-back was one of Villa's underrated success stories this season.

Honourable mentions

One of Villa's best players when fit, Boubacar Kamara's return from injury coincided with a clear upturn in Villa's form. But availability remains the issue - across his three seasons at Villa, injuries have forced him to miss at least a third of each. Talks over a new contract remain unresolved.

Jhon Duran. The ultimate super sub. Though sold mid-season, Duran gave Villa fans unforgettable moments and vital goals - not to mention giving the club a healthy transfer fee, too. His raw power and instinct made him a unique weapon. A question of what could have been – oh, to have been able to bring him on against PSG at Villa Park...

Pick your 2024-25 Aston Villa player of the season from our shortlist here

And tell us why you're picking who you are, or why you'd have gone for another player not on the list, here

Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external

Aston Villa are not planning to stand in the way of 32-year-old Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, if it becomes clear he wants to leave Villa Park. (Givemesport), external

Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

David Michael
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

If Aston Villa win at Old Trafford on the final day and Liverpool fail to beat Crystal Palace, Unai Emery's record across the final 19 games in 2025 will surpass that of the eventual Premier League champions.

Since the beginning of March, no Premier League team can match Villa's form.

Villa started the season strongly, comfortably perched in fourth by the end of October - effectively the first quarter of the campaign.

Then came a dip. But even when they sat ninth at the halfway point, they were only three points off fifth. Taking that into account, it is strange that despite a formidable second-half finish, Villa still do not have their Champions League destiny entirely in their own hands. It is as if the maths does not add up.

The lazy narrative that Villa could not cope with the demands of both the Premier League and Champions League has been exposed as nonsense. As I have highlighted before, the real - and more frustrating - reasons Villa have not already secured a Champions League spot lie in costly injury-time goals conceded and big chances missed.

Emery seems to have addressed the defensive side of that equation, with three consecutive clean sheets.

So, the trajectory looks very promising for next season. That was, until Emi Martinez's seemingly tearful goodbye to Villa Park last week.

We'll get to that later. But hopefully, if a win at Old Trafford leads to back-to-back Champions League qualifications, it will either soften the blow or hopefully complicate whatever move for the World Cup winner may be in motion.

Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external

Aston Villa are showing interest in 26-year-old Liverpool and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, with Emiliano Martinez set to leave in the summer. (Sun, external)

Manchester United, Barcelona and Saudi Pro League clubs are among those understood to be monitoring Martinez's situation. (Sun, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Match of the Day 2 pundits have been having their say on the race for the Champions League.

Danny Murphy expects Newcastle to be "fine", adding: "At home to Everton, I would say so with those fans behind them.

"Manchester City have got it all in their own hands with that extra game. Bournemouth and Fulham - not easy games but I'd tip them as well.

"If you look around the dressing room and you look at the manager, they're just the best in their class. If they don't have the resilience and fortitude to get through those games then there is a real question mark. They should beat Bournemouth and Fulham nine out of 10 times when they need to."

"That Chelsea-Forest game next week is the pick of the bunch. That's going to be one hell of an atmosphere down there."

Martin Keown said: "I think Forest have been magnificent this year - a breath of fresh air to see how they've performed. It's looking tough for them right now. They just had a little blip at the wrong time but they can't have any regrets to the way they've played this season.

"I think Man City will have enough to get there and so will Aston Villa as well."

Which way will it go? Read more and hear from the managers

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's five Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

Saturday 17th May

FA Cup final: Crystal Palace 1-0 Manchester City - 5 LIVE

Sunday 18th May

West Ham 1-2 Nottingham Forest - 5 LIVE

Brentford 2-3 Fulham – SPORTS EXTRA 2

Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle - 5 LIVE

Aston Villa are interested in Barcelona forward Ferran Torres, 25, and are prepared to offer around 50m euros (£42m) for the Spain international. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external

Atletico Madrid are among several clubs interested in Aston Villa's Argentine midfielder Enzo Barrenechea, 23, who is on loan at Valencia. (Birmingham Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Friday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Tottenham.

Here are some of your comments:

Villa fans

Rob: A thoroughly professional display. The Villa of old would have panicked at being 0-0 at half-time and we would've lost it 1-0 at the death. But that's not this Unai Emery team. They controlled the second half and took our chances without breaking a sweat. Bring on Man Utd.

Simon: Obviously so pleased for the three points, but seeing Martinez go off in tears has me worried that we've seen the last of him. Whatever happens, he will always be a Villa legend. On to Old Trafford for, hopefully, a rare victory there.

Ian: A nervy first half, but Spurs' only threat was on the break. It was a well deserved win in the second half and very comfortable. Spurs never really threatened our goal. Just one more win now and I think we will get that Champions League spot. In Unai we trust. Keep the faith, UTV.

Paul: A stroll in the end. Emery deserves credit for taking a failing team and turning them into a team that has qualified for Europe three years in a row, but there still needs to be consistency so we don't have meltdowns like Olympiakos or Wembley this season. We've finished the season like a train but the dropped points back in the winter may well cost us. On our day, we go toe-to-toe with the best and hurt them, so a Spurs team not wanting to get injured before a final was pretty easy to predict.

Spurs fans

Andy: I know it was almost a nothing game for us, given our final on Wednesday, but it still feels like something is fundamentally wrong in the changing room. Getting to the Champions League could be the worst thing to happen to us. With the extra games and these performances, we will be relegated next season.

Roger: Yet another shambolic, totally disorganised, lacklustre performance. Even allowing for missing and out-of-form players, the performances this season have clearly demonstrated that the current management and coaching is nowhere near what is required in the Premier League. Even a win next week or buying new players won't change that. The club needs to act quickly and make wholesale changes before pre-season or we will get relegated next year.

Meesh: It's been the same all season - we look lost. I was gritting my teeth in vain thinking we may actually win this. And yet more injuries!

Norman: Oh dear. The first half really gave me hope and I can see positives for next season with our great young players (if we can keep them). The second half was dreadful and I cannot wait for the end of the season and an end to this manager. A dreadful season, irrespective of what happens in the Europa League final.

Did you know?

• Since the start of March, Aston Villa have won 24 points in the Premier League from their nine games (W8 L1), more than any other side in that period (Newcastle next on 22 points).

• Tottenham have now lost 25 games in all competitions this season, their joint-highest number of defeats in a single campaign in their history along with 1991-92 (25).

• Ollie Watkins has been directly involved in 109 Premier League goals for Aston Villa (75 goals, 34 assists), the outright most of any player for the club (one more than Gabriel Agbonlahor).

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to Sky Sports following the victory at Villa Park: "I'm very happy. We won and we are on a run, but we still have work to do. We have to be ready and be consistent. We finished the season here with our supporters and our energy, our wish is to be in Europe. We still have the chance to play in the Champions League.

"Tottenham competed well and did a fantastic job. We were consistent and demanding and, when we scored the first goal, they gave up. Good luck to them in the [Europa League] final.

"We needed to manage the 90 minutes and we worked it fantastically. We are being demanding in this moment. If we can get Champions League, it is fantastic.

"We are in a good moment now. We are trying to play well and in our best moment, some of the players are enjoying it now.

"We are going to continue with our plan. We will work on Saturday and have Sunday and Monday off."

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa has been speaking to Sky Sports about the important win: "We work on set pieces nearly every day. We have a set piece coach in, we worked on that specific corner and it came off. We knew we had to score early in the second half and give the fans something to cheer for.

"We knew this game was must win. We want to play Champions League football again. We had a taste of it this season and for us, as players, it is a competition you want to play in. It's the main goal for us going into the last game.

"We knew Tottenham had a final on Wednesday, but we needed to stay focused to win.

"We are taking it game-by-game really. We had to go to Bournemouth and win then the focus was on this game. We will rest now and focus on Manchester United.

"It isn't in our hands as of yet but we will do all we can."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

What did you make of Aston Villa's performance?

Have your say on Tottenham's display

Come back to this page on Saturday to find a selection of your replies

Two matches make up Friday's Premier League action, and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Aston Villa v Tottenham (19:30)

• Chelsea v Manchester United (20:15)

Kick-off times BST

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier, we asked you to identify the current Aston Villa player from a series of clues.

The answer is Marcus Rashford, who is on loan from Manchester United.

Guess the current Aston Villa player from these three clues:

• I scored on my professional debut aged just 18.

• My parent club also play in the Premier League.

• I have an MBE.

Come back to this page at 17:00 BST for the answer

Let's face it, everyone on the planet thinks Aston Villa will win this - the same way everyone will expect Chelsea to beat Manchester United in Friday's other game.

The way both Tottenham and United are approaching next week's Europa League final, they are just gripped with fear. It has become like a World Cup final for both clubs.

Both managers will make lots of changes for their matches on Friday, because they are so afraid of injuries to key players but I just don't think that is the way to approach Wednesday's game in Bilbao.

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou does not want anyone to get injured but the flip side to leaving key people out is that you want to go into a big game with a bit of momentum, and Tottenham do not have any.

I put myself in a position of a Spurs player, and if I am Micky van de Ven or Cristian Romero, I would want to play against Villa and I would want to take that risk.

But what Postecoglou is scared of, naturally, is if something happens to one of them, because then he would be asked 'why on earth did you do that?'

So, we know what he will do and, because of that, you can't make a case for Tottenham beating Villa, or getting anything at all from this game.

On the face of it, things have turned out pretty well for Villa haven't they? Last summer they would have looked at their last two games of the season - Spurs at home on Friday and United away next weekend - and thought that is very tough.

Now, though, they must be rubbing their hands. They are fighting for a top-five finish and they finish up with two games against teams whose focus this week is completely on an all together different prize.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here