UEFA Cup Preview: CSKA Moscow – Aston Villa

After achieving a 1-1 draw at Villa Park, CSKA Moscow welcome a weakened Aston Villa side to Russia hoping to finish the job and secure their place in the last 16.

Kick-Off: Thursday, February 26, 2009, 17.00 GMT. Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow.

From Russia With Love

Vagner Love was the name on most lips after the first leg of this tie which ended 1-1 at Villa Park.
The Brazilian opened the scoring with a great strike, later cancelled out by John Carew, to ensure he remains the tournament’s top scorer.
His goal has only increased interest in the striker, especially from the Premier League, where Chelsea have reportedly joined his long list of suitors.
Love’s strike also means that CSKA possess a vital away goal which could prove so crucial in this tie.
Therefore,Villa must score on the plastic pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium if they are to progress to a last 16 date with either Shakhtar Donetsk or Tottenham Hotspur.
Zico’s men, meanwhile, will know that a goalless draw will be enough to see them through, but with Love in their ranks they will be confident of finding the back of the Villa net again.

Premier Priorities

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill has made his priorities for this season plain by leaving eight first-team regulars back in Birmingham for the second leg.
Brad Friedel, Gareth Barry, James Milner, Emile Heskey, Ashley Young, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Carlos Cuellar and Stiliyan Petrov all miss out as Villa concentrate their energies on the quest for a top-four finish in the Premier League.
Despite losing to Chelsea at the weekend, the Midlanders remain fourth, six points ahead of Arsenal in fifth, meaning their mission to secure Champions League football next season remains on track.
Defending his decision to rest so many players O’Neill insisted his squad simply is not strong enough to cope with the demands of UEFA Cup and Premier League action, and claimed his squad section was “realistic” and not “defeatist”.
The Villa boss pointed to his side’s defeat to Chelsea at the weekend as evidence his players were tired and needed a break, and with Stoke City looming at the weekend, O’Neill is eager not to see tired legs for a second successive weekend.

FORM GUIDE

Last Five Results

CSKA Moscow

Feb 18: Aston Villa 1-1 CSKA Moscow
Dec 4: Nancy 3-4 CSKA Moscow
Nov 27: CSKA Moscow 2-1 Lech Poznan
Nov 22: Shinnik 1-0 CSKA Moscow
Nov 16: CSKA Moscow 4-0 Rubin

Aston Villa

Feb 21: Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
Feb 18: Aston Villa 1-1 CSKA Moscow
Feb 15: Everton 3-1 Aston Villa
Feb 7: Blackburn 0-2 Aston Villa
Feb 4: Aston Villa 3-1 Doncaster Rovers

TEAM NEWS

Aston Villa

Villa rest eight first teamers as they concentrate on domestic matters. Whilst the back four remains fairly intact Brad Guzan replaces Brad Friedel in goal whilst up front John Carew may be partnered by young Nathan Delfouneso.
Possible Starting XI: Guzan, Luke Young, Davies, Knight, Shorey, Sidwell, Salifou, Gardner, Osbourne, Carew, Delfouneso.

CSKA Moscow

Anton Grigoriev and Deividas Semberas are both available after missing the first leg through suspension.
Possible Starting XI: Akinfeev, Grigoriev, Vasili Berezutsky, Ignashevich, Alexei Berezutsky, Semberas, Rahimic, Aldonin, Zhirkov, Dzagoev, Vagner Love.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Aston Villa – John Carew

The Norwegian striker is one of few experienced names in O’Neill’s squad for the second leg.
Villa must score to have any chance of progressing in the tie and Carew, who cancelled out Vagner Love’s opener at Villa Park, will hope he can breach the Moscow defence for a second time.

CSKA Moscow – Vagner Love

It is difficult to look past Moscow’s flamboyant striker Love, who lived up to his billing with a superb strike in the first leg.
The Brazilian has nine goals already in this competition and another on Thursday night would make Villa’s task very, very hard indeed.

PREDICTION

A full-strength Aston Villa side could only manage a draw with CSKA at Villa Park which suggests a weakened side may well struggle away in Moscow.
Villa must score to continue in the tournament but with Love on the opposing side you feel they will need at least two.
With the likes of Ashley Young, Gareth Barry and Gabriel Agbonlahor all missing this looks a tough test and could prove to be a step too far for Villa’s small squad.

Prediction: CSKA Moscow 2-0 Aston Villa

Gill Clark, Goal.com