Aston Villa vs Cardiff match preview
Aston Villa will try to keep away from changing into the third staff to endure a shock house defeat to Cardiff Metropolis on this season’s FA Cup when the groups meet within the fifth spherical on Friday (8pm GMT).
The second-lowest positioned staff left within the competitors beat fellow Championship strugglers Stoke Metropolis within the fourth spherical, and their win at a Sheffield United facet chasing automated promotion from the second tier was much more spectacular to achieve that stage.
“It appears like [Villa are] going to have a full staff of internationals on the pitch, as a result of that’s the depth that they’ve received,” says Bluebirds boss Omer Riza, a former Arsenal and West Ham ahead who took over in September.
“We’ve got to handle the sport accordingly and appropriately. We’ve got to method it in a approach the place we’re not straightforward to interrupt down. Then when we’ve got the chance, we will’t lose the ball and provides it again to them. We’ve got to make use of the ball diligently.”
Golden hour 🌅 pic.twitter.com/hiMTTuTTQp
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) February 27, 2025
Villa final received the FA Cup in 1957 however reached the ultimate in 2015 and are unbeaten in 4 house video games in all competitions, together with a 4-1 victory over Spurs within the final spherical.
“We’re not a contender to win the FA Cup,” says supervisor Unai Emery, including that he desires “to attempt to compete within the competitors and have a technique to a trophy”.
“All golf equipment, gamers and coaches like… status. It may very well be one of the best ways to qualify for Europe. We’ve got 3 ways: the Premier League, the Champions League and the FA Cup.”
Emery’s facet are 4 factors off fifth spot within the Premier League, within the Champions League spherical of 16 and within the fifth spherical of the FA Cup for the primary season since that run to the ultimate.
Aston Villa vs Cardiff Metropolis staff information
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, defenders Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres and midfielder Amadou Onana are harm doubts for Villa, as is winger Donyell Malen by means of illness.
Centre-back Pau Torres and playmaker Ross Barkley stay out, and right-back Matty Money will probably be assessed, with Emery suggesting he won’t threat gamers on this sport.
Metropolis high scorer Callum Robinson, attacker Anwar El Ghazi and defender Calum Chambers may function towards their former staff. Chambers moved between the golf equipment in July, having performed 36 occasions for Emery.
Cardiff goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, centre-back Jesper Daland, winger Ollie Tanner, captain Joe Ralls and midfielder Will Alves are out injured.
Aston Villa vs Cardiff predicted lineups
Aston Villa: Olsen, Garcia, Konsa, Bogarde, Maatsen, McGinn, Tielemans, Bailey, Asensio, Rogers, Rashford
Cardiff Metropolis: Horvath, Fish, O’Dowda, Chambers, Mannsverk, Willock, Salech, Rinomhota, Ng, Ashford, Robinson
Tips on how to watch Villa vs Cardiff: TV channel and stream
The match will probably be proven dwell on ITV1 and is obtainable to stream within the UK on the ITVX app. Protection begins at 7.30pm.
Aston Villa vs Cardiff Metropolis prediction
Villa are sure to be wanting full energy for this sport, which comes 4 days earlier than their Champions League last-16 first leg at Membership Brugge.
Emery’s remarks – calling their European marketing campaign “essential and prestigious” – would give extra trigger to anticipate an upset if Cardiff didn’t have distractions of their very own.
🗣️ “We’re not contenders”
Aston Villa supervisor Unai Emery doesn’t price his facet’s probabilities of successful the FA Cup regardless of being within the final 16 of the competitors ⚽ pic.twitter.com/1KOBK0l4q2
— Sky Sports activities Information (@SkySportsNews) February 27, 2025
A 1-0 house win over Hull Metropolis on Tuesday despatched them six factors above the Championship relegation zone, however Riza says it’s “not potential” for Cardiff to go full throttle.
“We’ve got simply received too many much more vital video games arising, which is about surviving and staying within the Championship,” he defined.
With these feedback in thoughts, Villa ought to have sufficient to beat opponents with no win over 90 minutes of their final 5 away video games.
Solely two groups have a worse defensive document than Metropolis of their division, so take Villa to recuperate from their 4-1 defeat at Crystal Palace on Tuesday with a 3-1 win right here.