AZ Alkmaar ‘no pushover’ in UECL, but Aston Villa will be ‘comfortable’ in group stage
We’re delighted to welcome Aston Villa podcaster Ty Bracey as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Aston Villa will be “comfortable” in their Europa Conference League group stage games but may face competition from Alkmaar who are no “pushovers”, according to Ty Bracey.
The Villans learnt who they will be facing in the return to European football on 1 September, with Unai Emery’s outfit set to face Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, Polish side Legia Warsaw and Bosnian side Zrinjks and will kick their campaign off on 21 September against the Polish runners up.
While some top clubs, including Lille, Fiorentina and Eintracht Frankfurt, are all participating in the competition, many have tipped Villa to waltz through their group with ease and progress very far in the competition. The Europa Conference League has been seen as a chance to rest many key players and give younger stars a chance at first-team action.
While he is expecting the Villans to “be comfortable” throughout the group, Bracey has singled out Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar to pose a challenge to Emery’s men, noting that they are “no pushover”. The Kaaskoppen currently sit at the summit of the Dutch top flight having won all three of their opening games, including a 5-1 thrashing of Go Ahead Eagles.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bracey said: “I wouldn’t say there’s even the capability of a group of death in the Europa Conference League. There are clubs like Fiorentina, who aren’t a bad side, and Lille too.
“Alkmaar are no pushover at all, but we should be comfortable with those games. But it won’t be easy, we’re going to have to go there and show up, but I am happy with the draw.”
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