Europe disrupts start of Aston Villa's season
Jun 18 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail
ASTON Villa's European commitments have already started to eat away at their new fixture list.
Martin O’Neill’s side open the season at home to Wigan on August 15 but their game at West Ham three days later has had to be postponed as they are to play a first-leg Europa League play-off game on August 20.
Following a trip to Anfield they then play a second leg on August 27 meaning the home game with Fulham on August 29 will need to be put back.
“The second fixture at West Ham will not happen as we’re involved in the Europa League and then we travel to Anfield,” said O’Neill.
The winners of the two-leg play-off will qualify for the group stages of the Europa League with six matches set to take place on six dates which are: September 17, October 1, October 22, November 5, December 2/3 and December 16/17.
That means Villa’s games against Portsmouth, Manchester City, Wolves, Bolton, Hull and Sunderland might be subject to change in the fullness of time.
