Martin O’Neill: Aston Villa have what it takes to win group

Dec 5 2008 By Mat Kendrick

MARTIN O’Neill believes Aston Villa can still top Group F by winning in Hamburg after defiantly declaring that his team don’t fear anybody in the UEFA Cup.

Villa qualified for the last 32 last night thanks to the Germans’ victory over Slavia Prague, despite suffering a 2-1 defeat to Slovakian underdogs MSK Zilina.

But any suggestions that the shock setback might have knocked their confidence or affected their hopes of winning the group were shot down by O’Neill.

With three teams qualifying from each group for the knockout stages, Villa’s place in the last 32 is now assured after maximum points from their first two matches.

But they must beat Martin Jol’s Hamburg in Germany on December 17, bettering Ajax’s result against Slavia Prague in the process, to be sure of finishing first.

Group winners face third-placed teams in the next round and, along with runners-up, have the