Aston Villa to kick off UEFA European Tournaments as first English team in action

Seven English clubs will take part in the UEFA European Tournaments during the 2023/24 season. While Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool are no strangers to the continental stage, this represents a special chance for Newcastle, Brighton, and Aston Villa to raise their clubs’ profile in Europe.

For the traditional powerhouses – City, Arsenal, United, and Liverpool – securing qualification to the European Tournaments has become a customary achievement, given their consistent performances in domestic competitions. Their presence in Europe is not unexpected, as they feature regularly on the biggest stage, aiming to display their footballing prowess and compete for top honors.

However, for Newcastle, Brighton, and Aston Villa, the opportunity to play in European competitions is a remarkable chance to make their mark on a broader footballing canvas.

As the European adventure unfolds, six of the English clubs – Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Brighton – will bypass the tricky preliminary rounds and gain direct entry into the group stages.

The spotlight will fall first on Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s team is the sole Premier League side required to go through the qualifying rounds in the Europa Conference League. Although they will enter the tournament in the last knock-out round, Aston Villa has the chance to clinch a spot in the group stage by playing no more than two games. The first of the two-legged clash is scheduled for August 24th, while the return leg is set for a week later on August 31st.

For Aston Villa and their enthusiastic supporters, the thrilling journey begins in about a month with great anticipation and excitement. The opponent they will face in the final qualifying round is yet to be determined, but the passion and determination among the Villa faithful are palpable as they eagerly await their team’s European return after a 13 year absence.

All of the other English teams will commence their European participation between September 19th and 21st, ready to take on the continent’s best and seek glory on football’s grandest stage.