'Hopefully' - Aston Villa star issues plea ahead of Champions League clash with Bologna

Aston Villa defender Matty Cash is raring to go ahead of the Villans’ Champions League clash with Bologna this evening and he is hoping to make his debut in Europe’s top competition.

He is not overlooking Villa’s opponents as he described Bologna as a ‘quality’ outfit, noting their games against Liverpool and their campaign last season that landed them a spot in the Champions League. Villa have made a brilliant start in the competition, which included an unexpected win over Bayern Munich. They are currently sixth in the league stage, with two wins from two games.

Cash was injured for the clash with BSC Young Boys in Switzerland as Villa won 3-0. He was then on the bench against Bayern but was an unused substitute for that game. Speaking with the media in an interview featured on Villa’s official club website, Cash said: “As a young boy, every boy’s dream is to play at the highest level in football.

“I’ve worked incredibly hard to get here. Had a spell at the World Cup, which is a major tournament and was amazing. I made my Premier League debut four years ago, and now the Champions League. I’m really looking forward to it, I’ve dreamt of these moments as a young boy and so hopefully it comes.

“[Bologna are] a really good side, last season they had an amazing season and got into the Champions League. They’ve had a draw and a loss against Liverpool. We know they’re a quality team, every team we come up against in the Champions League are a good side. We have to respect them and we’re obviously looking forward to the challenge.

“I think it will be loud [tomorrow], the first one against Bayern was incredible. I was sat on the bench and it was so loud, I couldn’t even hear myself talk. I think every game this year in the Champions League at home is going to be an amazing atmosphere. I’m really looking forward to it. I haven’t made my Champions League debut yet, hopefully it comes tomorrow.”

Villa boss Unai Emery was also keen to praise Tuesday’s opponents in the pre-match media duties. He said: "They are being successful the last years, of course. They are a team with a huge history in Italy. Last year, they played fantastic with Thiago Motta, and they signed a new coach. He was successful, playing the last two finals in the Conference League. They are keeping the same more or less players and the same more or less successful way. They deserve more points than they have now.

"They have started with a new coach who is really playing very well in combination and defensively, being aggressive. They played a fantastic match against Liverpool and they deserved more against Liverpool. They face, then, more or less competing in the same way, and tomorrow I think for them - because they only have one point - will be a very difficult match for us. They are going to push, they are going to try to get a point tomorrow, because of course it is only game three, but they need points, as we need. We are really respecting them a lot, but we are going to try tomorrow to play with the same motivation we played the last match, and the same we played with our supporters in Villa Park, pushing a lot. Respecting them is the first way. We can do it, we want to win."