Once the current international break is over, Aston Villa will embark on their first Champions League/European Cup adventure in over 40 years.
Things were a little different back in 1982 when Peter Withe fired home the winner in the final against Bundesliga giants, Bayern Munich.
Only the champions of their respective domestic leagues were involved in the tournament, and the Midlands-based outfit only needed to get through four two-legged games to get to the final.
This season, the new format is in place, and that will see Villa play a minimum of eight games in the first part of the tournament.
At home, they’ll entertain – as fate would have it – Bayern Munich again, as well as Juventus, Celtic and Bologna.
They’ll also face RB Leipzig, Club Brugge, Young Boys and AS Monaco on their travels.
It’s clear that tickets to the games will be like gold dust, and Villa appear to be cashing in, in a move that has disgusted their former player, and loyal supporter, Stan Collymore.
“The good times are back thanks to Unai Emery,” he said in an exclusive interview.
“After finishing fourth in the Premier League last season, we’re now on the verge of kicking off our Champions League campaign — the first time we’ve been in the competition since 1982!
“Despite all of this though, the club, who have decided to charge season ticket-holders between £85 and £97 for Champions League home games, are using the feel-good factor to cash in while they can.
“I think it’s an absolute disgrace!”
Though it doesn’t appear to be a case of ‘dynamic pricing’ from the club, they’ve certainly priced the tickets at the very top end, and given how many other games domestically fans will be forking out for, you can’t really blame Collymore for his outburst.
Perhaps supporters will vote with their feet at the first game, and because directors won’t want to see any empty seats at Villa Park it could force a needed change upon them.
Nearly £100 for a group stage ticket… that’s about as far from the ‘working man’s game’ as it’s possible to be.
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