European Super Football

 Aston Villa 2 - 4 Olympiakos "Everything that could have gone wrong, did." Those were the words of one Aston Villa fan as their chances of reaching a first European final since 1982 were severely dented against Olympiakos. The star man on the night for the visitors was Ayoub El Kaabi. He scored a hat-trick, netting twice early on. Ollie Watkins then reduced the deficit for Unai Emery's side and Moussa Diaby equalised moments after the interval. Villa Park was rocking at this point, creating an atmosphere that had not been seen at the famous old stadium for many years.  However, Olympiakos roared back into a two-goal lead with a El Kaabi penalty and a deflected strike from Santiago Hezze.  Douglas Luiz missed a late penalty, meaning Villa must overturn a two-goal deficit in the second leg.  The Greek Super League side have actually never reached a major European final. They played without fear and attacking verve as they pressed and harassed Villa into defensive mist

 West Ham United 1 - 1 Aston Vila Tomas Soucek came agonisingly close to securing a thrilling victory for West Ham, but fate had other plans as they had to settle for a single point against Aston Villa at London Stadium. In the dying moments of added time, Soucek believed he had clinched the win for the Hammers, connecting with James Ward-Prowse's free-kick. However, his jubilation was short-lived as VAR intervened, ruling out the goal due to a handball. Aston Villa, vying for a spot in the Champions League , found their saving grace in Nicolo Zaniolo, who equalised in the 79th minute. With a precise finish, Zaniolo capitalised on Moussa Diaby's well-placed pass into the box, notching his second league goal for Villa. Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 Michail Antonio initially gave West Ham the lead with a splendid diving header, his first Premier League goal since August. However, his joy was tempered when a second goal was disallowed for handball early in the sec

 Aston Villa 1 - 2 Manchester United Manchester United gained a valuable 2-1 away win at Aston Villa to earn a long-awaited victory away against top-nine opposition. The Red Devils started the match at Villa Park, hoping to extend their recent game streak across all competitions. More Premier League news here:  Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Villa made a good start to the game and looked to keep possession of the ball for long spells to draw Manchester United onto them. However, the visitors had other plans as they sat back and looked to hit on the counter. Rasmus Hojlund gave them the perfect start as he fired the Red Devils 1-0 up after 17 minutes following an assist by Harry Maguire. United had 42% of the ball in the first half and attempted seven shots, but hit the target just once for Hojlund’s goal. Villa had 10 attempts with three on target but neither side managed to alter the scoreline as the visitors led 1-0 at the break. Unf

 Middlesborough 0 - 1 Aston Villa Aston Villa secured their first FA Cup victory since 2016, as Matty Cash delivered a late winning goal against Middlesbrough.  Highlights below from  The Emirates FA Cup - YouTube   The Championship club Boro was on the verge of forcing a replay when Cash's shot from outside the box took an unexpected deflection, ultimately beating goalkeeper Tom Glover. The Australian keeper had earlier displayed an impressive performance at the lively Riverside Stadium, frustrating the Premier League visitors with saves against young Colombia forward Jhon Duran (twice) and captain John McGinn. Villa' s frustration grew as Ezri Konsa's header hit the post before Poland full-back Cash scored his fourth goal of the season in three different competitions. Magic of the FA Cup: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) More Aston Villa news and stories This victory marked a significant milestone for Villa, a seven-time FA Cup-winning team that had not tas

 Manchester United 3 - 2 Aston Villa Rasmus Hojlund scored his first goal in the Premier League, propelling Manchester United to a spectacular comeback from a two-goal deficit against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Boxing Day. BIG THREE POINTS! ➕3️⃣ #MUFC || #MUNAVL — Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 26, 2023 Under the management of Erik ten Hag, the team showcased their resilience with a remarkable turnaround in the match. Despite John McGinn and Leander Dendoncker giving Villa a deserving lead at half-time, United displayed unwavering determination in the second half.  More Premier League news here -  Premier League news and stories: 2023/2024 (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Even after Alejandro Garnacho had a goal disallowed by VAR for a marginal offside, the 19-year-old Argentine spearheaded the comeback by scoring twice, marking a significant milestone in his career. Villa tried to withstand the onslaught from the home team, but United, reminiscent of the old tenacity

Chelsea 0 - 1 Aston Villa Chelsea's rough start to the Premier League season continued as Aston Villa heaped more misery on them with a victory at Stamford Bridge. In a tight game, Ollie Watkins managed to score a decisive goal from an extremely challenging angle, slipping the ball between the legs of Chelsea's goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez. This came after Malo Gusto received a red card for a dangerous tackle, leaving Chelsea with only 10 players on the field. The Villa was boss was delighted with the win and performance to go with it. Footage from  Aston Villa Football Club - YouTube Mauricio Pochettino's team had several opportunities to score before Gusto's dismissal, but as has been the story for much of their season, they couldn't convert any of them into goals. Despite notable efforts from Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling, who were thwarted by excellent saves from Villa's goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, and a missed chance from Enzo Fernandez. On th

 Let's explore some of the latest transfer rumours from across Europe. It is proving to be a busy summer. Mbappe on Merseyside or is he off to Madrid? Liverpool are in talks with Paris St-Germain over a shock loan move for Kylian Mbappe after he reportedly rejected a world record £259m move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. It had been suggested that Spanish side Real Madrid had previously set a price limit of 230m euros (£198m) to land Mbappe from PSG permanently. Are Man United on the verge of another signing? Manchester United and Atalanta have agreed a £72m deal for Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund. Reports from across Europe have said that Manchester United will pay £64m plus £8m in add-ons for the 20-year-old. In his 34 appearances last season, Hojlund scored 10 goals for Atalanta.  Football News: Man United on verge of another signing (manchestersupernews.blogspot.com) Kane to Bayern Munich? Bundesliga side Bayern Munich remain confident of completing a deal to sign Tottenham

 Aston Villa 2 - 1 Brighton & Hove Albion Aston Villa beat Brighton at Park to secure a return to European football.  The home needed to win to finish seventh in the Premier League and earn a spot in the playoffs for the Europa Conference League. Villa flew out of the blocks and forged ahead when Douglas Luiz scored after eight minutes. Premier League news (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) The architect of the first goal, Jacob Ramsey played creator once again when he unselfishly teed up Ollie Watkins to make it 2-0 with 28 minutes played. As he did for the first goal, Jacob Ramsey played creator again. He unselfishly teed up Ollie Watkins to make it 2-0 with 28 minutes played. In the 38th minute, a VAR decision went Undav's way when he scored following a quickly taken free-kick by Pascal Gross. The assistant referee had initially flagged for offside, but this decision was overruled.  Click here to watch the highlights via the Aston Villa Facebook page.  The best reaction f

 Wolves 1 - 0 Aston Villa Victory on derby day over Aston Villa tasted all the sweeter for Wolves as it left them within touching distance of survival. Toti Gomes' bullet header settled a typically lively West Midlands clash and secured Wolves a fourth successive Molineux triumph. This has created a ten-point gap between them and the drop zone. Toti’s first goal for the club proved to be the game's only goal, with striking duo Matheus Cunha and Diego Costa both coming close, but it mattered not as a fiery atmosphere brought home the three points. This could lead to Premier League safety soon rather than later.  Let's explore the post-match reaction from the West Midlands. The full-time whistle sparked joyous scenes of celebration and another Premier League season is now within touching distance for the club. For Villa, it represents a missed opportunity in their quest for European qualification.  Danny, a Wolves Season Ticket holder, said: "That is a massive result

 There were 20 goals on a dramatic Sunday of Premier League football.  Let's explore what happened and examine what the impact might be come the end of the season. AFC Bournemouth 4 - 1 Leeds United Bournemouth earned a superb 4-1 win to deepen Leeds' relegation worries. A quick-fire Jefferson Lerma played a key part in lifting his side further away from relegation danger and leaving the visitors a point clear of the drop zone. Fulham 1 - 2 Manchester City Manchester City beat Fulham to return to the top of the Premier League for the first time since February as Erling Haaland scored his 50th goal of the season in all competitions. Fulham did themselves proud on the day but didn't offer enough in an attacking sense to worry the title favourites too much. Can City go and win The Treble? Click here to see all the news and stories from East Manchester.  Manchester United 1 - 0 Aston Villa Bruno Fernandes scored his 100th career league goal to boost Manchester United's

Is this a good appointment for Aston Villa? They have appointed Unai Emery as manager following the sacking of Steven Gerrard. Premier League news: Steven Gerrard sacked by Aston Villa (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Emery had joined Villarreal in 2020 and led them to Europa League success in the 2020-21 season, beating Manchester United in the final. The Spanish club also reached last year's Champions League semi-finals under Emery, losing 5-2 to Liverpool on aggregate. Emery in his Arsenal days. Credit -  Rckr88 | Flickr Emery's Villarreal appointment followed his sacking after just 18 months as Arsenal manager in November 2019. He was dismissed after failing to win in seven games. During his time in North London he took Arsenal to the Europa League final, losing to Chelsea in 2019. Villa beat Brentford 4-0 on Sunday under caretaker Danks - just their third win in 12 Premier League games this season - which left them 14th, three points above the relegation zone. All the

Steven Gerrard has been sacked as manager of Aston Villa.  The announcement came just 90 minutes after they suffered a 3-0 defeat against Fulham at Craven Cottage last night. Villa are currently out of the releation zone only on goals scored and. During the defeat at Fulham, the travelling support were repeatedly booing Gerrard. The club decided to take swift action. The ex Liverpool player has been in the job for less than a year. He has been unable to make a success of his first management role in English football. In November 2021, we reported on Gerrard being appointed as manager of Villa.  Despite the initial excitement, it has never really gone according to plan for both the player and the club.   This is what Gerrard said the media moments before he was sacked. Footage from the  Optus Sport YouTube account. This is looking like it will be a very difficult time for Aston Villa, and looks like it will be first-team coach Aaron Danks that takes charge when they play their ne

Leeds United 0 - 0 Aston Villa A goalless draw at Elland Road was a good one for Leeds United, who spent the entire second half a player down, battling against an Aston Villa side that was looking to take all three points. The Whites returned to Premier League action after 29 days without a match, following recent postponements and the international break.  When the match kicked off inside a packed out and eagerly awaiting Elland Road, both teams set off on the front foot looking to gain the early advantage, using their respective supporters to their advantage.  However, very little early on in terms of chances were to come, largely due to the stop-start nature of the match and plenty of early fouls between the teams. The first to be booked for one was Ludwig Augustinsson for the visitors, but he would not be the only name in the notepad early on. Shots on goal did arrive and both number one’s on the day were called into action. Illan Meslier denied Ollie Watkins, before both Bren

Let's explore a dramatic final day in the Premier League title race This video from ESPN UK explores everything that went on across the league.  ESPN UK - YouTube Manchester City 3 - 2 Aston Villa  Manchester City staged a late comeback with three goals in five minutes to beat Aston Villa and win the Premier League. Pep Guardiola's side needed a win to secure their fourth title in five seasons, but were facing the prospect of ending the season empty-handed as goals either side of the interval from Matty Cash and Philippe Coutinho put Villa 2-0 ahead and in control. It looked as if Villa manager Steven Gerrard might help his former club Liverpool secure the title, until City turned the game on its head in an atmosphere bordering on hysteria. Ilkay Gundogan gave City hope with a far-post header in the 76th minute. Etihad Stadium was a wall of noise when Rodri drove a low finish past Villa keeper Robin Olsen two minutes later. The highlights of the match can be found in the vide

 Aston Villa 2 - 0 Norwich City Norwich were relegated from the Premier League after a defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park. The loss, coupled with Burnley's dramatic comeback win at Watford, left them bottom of the table and 13 points from safety with only four games left. Their fans continued to support in numbers and with lots of noise. This was despite a relegation that has looked on the cards for some time. Ollie Watkins put Villa ahead in the first half, capitalising on a slip from Brandon Williams before lashing high into the net. That error summed up Norwich's season, as did their lack of potency in front of goal. They created limited openings, while Villa hit the woodwork in each half. Reaction This was the reaction of Norwich manager Dean Smith. Footage from the Norwich YouTube account. One Norwich fan replied: "The sensible fans do not blame you Deano. You've not had a single chance to shape this team the way you want to, and I sincerely hope you g

Aston Villa 3 - 3 Leeds United Aston Villa and Leeds shared six goals to produce one of the Premier League games of the season. FULL-TIME Aston Villa 3-3 Leeds Six goals, but nothing to separate the two sides. Diego Llorente's strike ultimately rescues a point for Leeds #AVLLEE pic.twitter.com/MoyZyfPIsd — Premier League (@premierleague) February 9, 2022 It was a gripping contest played at incredible speed. The two sides traded blow after blow. Leeds scored the first goal of the game. Dan James placed a low finish into the far corner. The Welsh winger had two further chances for the buoyant away side, hitting the bar with one from range. Villa hit back in style, Coutinho slotted in a low shot before twice setting up young midfielder Ramsey for a pair of superb finishes past Illan Meslier. The side and James had the final word before the break, with the forward defying his small stature to leap and head home a looping ball from close range. They also had the first and ultimate

Manchester United 1 - 0 Aston Villa Scott McTominay's early header proved enough for Manchester United to beat Aston Villa at Old Trafford. McTominay was allowed to run into the Villa six-yard box, where he met Fred's superb cross to steer the ball past Emiliano Martinez. This meant Villa boss and former Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard faced an unhappy return to Manchester, where he was baited by the home supporters. Some have argued that the result was harsh on Gerrard and his Villa side.  VAR controversy The controversial moment of the game came with an offside and VAR decision in the second-half.  Villa put the ball in the back of the net but what followed was a lengthy wait for the video assistant referee to ask Michael Oliver to make the final decision by consulting the screen. After a delay of several minutes, the referee eventually ruled Jacob Ramsey was offside, saying that he had impeded Edinson Cavani in the build-up. What did you think of the decision? Watch

Aston Villa have announced that they have agreed to sign Philippe Coutinho on loan.  The deal is subject to a medical and a work permit being granted and includes an option to buy the former Liverpool player. Coutinho joined Barcelona in a £142m move from Liverpool in January 2018. His impact at the club hasn't been great, scoring only 26 goals in 106 appearances. Villa boss Steven Gerrard described his former team-mate as a special footballer recently. The pair were key parts of a Liverpool side who fell just short of winning the Premier League back in 2014. (YouTube video from  Sports Fan's News) More Reaction Steven Gerrard said: "I don't think you get a nickname as a magician if you're not a special footballer." "I don't think you get a nickname as a 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻 if you're not a special footballer." ✨ Steven Gerrard on Philippe Coutinho, who has agreed terms to spend the rest of this season on loan at Villa Park, with an option to

Jacob Ramsey played a key role for Aston Villa after a magnificent solo effort helped his die win 2-0 at Norwich. The 20-year-old ran at the Norwich defence from inside his half before thumping the ball past Tim Krul to break the deadlock at Carrow Road. Ollie Watkins sidefooted home Carney Chukwuemeka's low delivery to complete the scoring and deepen Norwich's relegation fears. The player told BT Sport: "I've been watching clips of the gaffer (Steven Gerrard). He was one of the best goalscoring midfielders and that's what I want to be" More reaction This is how Steven Gerrard responded after the match. 𝗕𝗜𝗚 praise for @JacobRamsey28 and Carney Chukwuemeka from Steven Gerrard. 💫 pic.twitter.com/pp3JiMagws — Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 15, 2021  Ashley Young tweeted: "Dominant Performance! I think the smile on my face says it all, 3 points and a clean sheet away from home." The reaction from Norwich City was obviously very different.

Steven Gerrard says his Villa side still have room for improvement after he secured his second win as manager with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. The former Liverpool captain was jubilant when Matt Targett put Villa ahead with a low drive through a crowd of bodies from Ashley Young's corner on 15 minutes. As Palace tried to salvage something in the second half, John McGinn curled a beautiful shot into the top corner from the edge of the box to double the visitors' lead against the run of play. Palace did eventually manage to score a late consolation through Marc Guehi. It was not enough to deny Villa. More Premier League news All the reaction Steven Gerrard spoke with BBC Match of the Day: "We can't get carried away. It has been a positive couple of weeks. The players have been fantastic in their application. We had to dig in at times today but we managed to get over the line which is nice." One Villa fan told us: "It was another grea