Aston Villa will get their Champions League last-16 campaign under way on Tuesday evening as they take on Club Brugge in their first leg in Belgium.
The Villans have gone from strength to strength under Unai Emery and now have a chance to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
Aston Villa also remain in contention for a European finish in the Premier League and are also in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
The Villans overcame Cardiff City in the FA Cup last time out, with Marco Asensio, Marcus Rashford and Andres Garcia impressing for Villa.
Paul Merson has predicted who he feels will go through from the Villa v Club Brugge tie as he issued a warning for Emery’s side.
Paul Merson warns Aston Villa against complacency
Merson believes Villa will have what it takes to overcome Club Brugge in the last 16, though he warned against any sort of complacency.
The Villa Park cult hero stressed that the Belgian side already have a victory over Emery’s side, not to mention “they ripped Atalanta apart”.
As a result, Villa must not “turn up thinking they are through already” as it could cost them dearly.
“It’s a good draw for Aston Villa but it’ll be a hard game,” Merson wrote on Sky Sports.
“Club Brugge aren’t bad, they ripped Atalanta apart, which was a bit of a shock in my opinion.
“Brugge beat Villa in the league phase too when Tyrone Mings put his hand on the ball.
“I expect Villa to go through – but I hope people don’t turn up thinking they are through already.
“Complacency is the one that could do them.”
Aston Villa team news v Club Brugge
Aston Villa trio Pau Torres, Tyrone Mings and Matty Cash are back for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Club Brugge.
Torres has been absent since late December due to a broken metatarsal, while fellow centre-back Mings missed last Friday’s FA Cup victory over Cardiff City.
Meanwhile, Cash has been unavailable for the past two matches, but he too is back in contention for the game in Brugge.
Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi could make their Champions League debuts for the club.
However, injured duo Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley also remain sidelined and will miss out at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
Emery said at his pre-match press conference on Monday: “Onana and Barkley are not available.
“Andres Garcia and Donyell Malen because they are not on the list, Jamal as well isn’t on the list.
“Other players are in the squad.
“Coming back after injury – Pau Torres is in the squad, Tyrone Mings after he wasn’t on Friday, Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara.
“He was on Friday, but on the bench, for tomorrow he could start playing minutes as well.”
