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Villa oppose Spurs request to move fixture for Europa preparations

Aston Villa are in no mood to help Tottenham
Aston Villa are in no mood to help Tottenham

Aston Villa have opposed Tottenham's request to the Premier League to move their fixture to help with possible preparations for the Europa League final.

Spurs are due to visit Villa Park on Sunday, 18 May, but the London club announced on Sunday that they had asked the governing body to bring the match forward.

If Ange Postecoglou's side can beat Bodo/Glimt in their Europa League semi-final, they would play the showpiece match three days after the Villa Park encounter.

Spurs want to move their Premier League match forward - reportedly to Thursday, 15 May - to give themselves six days' preparation for the possible final, but the PA news agency reports that Villa have objected.

Unai Emery's side have had to deal with a congested fixture list for most of the season and recently played eight games in 24 days throughout February and March.

That included a rearranged Premier League fixture against Liverpool which was shoehorned into a midweek which Villa thought would be free after avoiding a play-off round in the Champions League.

They also had to play a top-flight game with Southampton, 72 hours before their Champions League quarter-final second leg with Paris St Germain.

Spurs, who will play either Manchester United or Athletic Bilbao if they can get past the Norwegian surprise package in the last four, said in a statement on Sunday: "We should like to inform supporters that we are in discussions with the Premier League regarding a change in date to our away Premier League match against Aston Villa, currently scheduled for Sunday, 18 May."

All parties, including broadcasters and local authorities, must be in agreement for a fixture change to be sanctioned.

Marcus Rashford has four goals and six assists in 17 appearances for Aston Villa

Meanwhile, Aston Villa forward Marcus Rashford is expected to be ruled out for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury.

Rashford was left out of Unai Emery's squad for Saturday's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace, with the manager saying afterwards that the player, who joined Villa on loan for the rest of the campaign from Manchester United in the January transfer window, was likely out for "some weeks".

After being knocked out of both the Champions League and FA Cup this month, Villa only have four Premier League matches to play this term as they switch their focus to the fight for a place in Europe in 2025-26.

The 27-year-old England international, who has three years left on his United deal, is due to return to Old Trafford at the end of his loan deal, with the midlands club pondering whether to trigger a £40million buy option.

He has made 17 appearances for Villa, scoring four times and providing six assists.


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