Photo via BBC Sport

'No excuses' - but is Villa's stadium rebuild affecting team?

Aston Villa’s Champions League return to Villa Park on Wednesday brings a test against resurgent Fenerbahçe, with Marcos Asensio’s recent loan spell under Unai Emery serving as a reminder of the club’s past home dominance. The Spaniard, who netted eight goals during his 2025 loan from Paris Saint-Germain, now leads a Villa side that has struggled defensively, conceding 11 goals in their last two games and keeping just one clean sheet this season.

Emery has acknowledged the challenges posed by the stadium’s ongoing rebuild, particularly the absence of 7,000 supporters in the North Stand, though he insists the focus must remain on improving performance rather than external factors. ‘We must push everyone and play better football,’ he said, noting that the long-term upgrades will ultimately benefit the club but are currently a hurdle to overcome.

Villa’s home form has taken a hit, with Arsenal, Forest, and Brentford already claiming three points at Villa Park this season, while defeats to Everton, Chelsea, and Tottenham last term threatened their top-four ambitions. Despite a stellar run between 2022 and early 2026—including 15 consecutive Premier League wins—Villa have shown fragility at home since the new year, relying on late goals to salvage draws and victories against Leeds, Brighton, and Sunderland.

Defender Matty Cash echoed Emery’s sentiment, rejecting excuses while acknowledging the stadium’s current limitations. ‘It’s different, but you have to deal with it,’ he said, highlighting the contrast with Villa’s unbeaten home streak in Europe under Emery, which included a Europa League triumph in May 2024 and just one home defeat in European competition—a semi-final loss to Olympiacos in 2024.

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