Pre season 2025

[Chris Smith]

It’s about getting the whole squad up to speed. I doubt that many, if any, will play more than 4 x 90 minutes.

[Brazilian Villain]

Flight prices to Marseille pretty high!

I did try and give you a heads-up.

[Toronto Villa]

Emery prefers games to try things out vs practice. I’m sure the schedule means we will see some odd formations or players playing in positions they’ve not tried before to see what works and what doesn’t.

[The Edge]

Aston Villa have added friendlies against French club Olympique de Marseille and Spanish side Villarreal to the pre-season schedule.

Unai Emery’s men will play the Ligue 1 outfit on Saturday, August 9 at Stade Vélodrome (KO 7pm local time) before taking on Villarreal at Estadio de la Cerámica on Sunday, August 10 (KO 9pm local time) to conclude our preparations ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Ticketing information will be released in due course.

Stade Velodrome is one of the most impressive grounds I've ever been to. Looks like Unai wants to go into this season with the players at peak fitness. Adding Olympique Marseille and Villareal right before the season starts tells me he wants them to be at it right from the get go.

[OCD]

Presumably he expects to have 2 players for every position going into the season.

[eamonn]

Are the lads back to school yet? Thought it was this week. Haven't checked Pravda for videos of cameras pointed in their faces as they arrive at Bodymoor when they have to pretend they love the Villa, have missed the Villa, and are happy to forego Love Island and its pale imitation of the Villa.

[Percy McCarthy]

Are the lads back to school yet? Thought it was this week. Haven't checked Pravda for videos of cameras pointed in their faces as they arrive at Bodymoor when they have to pretend they love the Villa, have missed the Villa, and are happy to forego Love Island and its pale imitation of the Villa.

Saw the Pravda stuff yesterday. From memory - the only first team squad lads back were Mings, JJ, Bouba, Gauci, Bogarde and Garcia.

[Richard]

Are the lads back to school yet? Thought it was this week. Haven't checked Pravda for videos of cameras pointed in their faces as they arrive at Bodymoor when they have to pretend they love the Villa, have missed the Villa, and are happy to forego Love Island and its pale imitation of the Villa.

Saw the Pravda stuff yesterday. From memory - the only first team squad lads back were Mings, JJ, Bouba, Gauci, Bogarde and Garcia.

Ross B I think too.

[Percy McCarthy]

Are the lads back to school yet? Thought it was this week. Haven't checked Pravda for videos of cameras pointed in their faces as they arrive at Bodymoor when they have to pretend they love the Villa, have missed the Villa, and are happy to forego Love Island and its pale imitation of the Villa.

Saw the Pravda stuff yesterday. From memory - the only first team squad lads back were Mings, JJ, Bouba, Gauci, Bogarde and Garcia.

Ross B I think too.

Yes, you’re right.

[eamonn]

Sparse enough then. The international chaps presumably get a week more? No tournaments this summer but i guess they were playing friendlies and qualifiers til this time last month.

I so hope Chelsea are breathing out of their arses from next February after taking the World Club shilling.

[Hookeysmith]

Sparse enough then. The international chaps presumably get a week more? No tournaments this summer but i guess they were playing friendlies and qualifiers til this time last month.

I so hope Chelsea are breathing out of their arses from next February after taking the World Club shilling.

They do however have a squad of around 100 to rotate with which should help

[FailsworthVillan]

Are the lads back to school yet? Thought it was this week. Haven't checked Pravda for videos of cameras pointed in their faces as they arrive at Bodymoor when they have to pretend they love the Villa, have missed the Villa, and are happy to forego Love Island and its pale imitation of the Villa.

Wouldn’t it have been quicker to have a look than to type all that ?

[Duncan Shaw]

A week to the Walsall game and 7 first teamers back in training!

[Brazilian Villain]

5 weeks to our first league game and 7 first teamers already back in training.

[eamonn]

Are the lads back to school yet? Thought it was this week. Haven't checked Pravda for videos of cameras pointed in their faces as they arrive at Bodymoor when they have to pretend they love the Villa, have missed the Villa, and are happy to forego Love Island and its pale imitation of the Villa.

Wouldn’t it have been quicker to have a look than to type all that ?

The official Aston Villa FC website is on the banned list at work. Have to live vicariously, precariously.