‘No excuses’ – but is Villa’s stadium rebuild affecting team?

Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery and defender Matty Cash have addressed questions regarding whether ongoing redevelopment work at Villa Park is negatively impacting team performances. The North Stand is currently closed for reconstruction to raise the stadium's capacity past 50,000, temporarily reducing attendance to around 37,000. Villa remain winless at home in the Premier League this season following a 2-2 draw with Brentford.

Emery emphasized that missing 7,000 supporters is an obstacle but stressed there are no excuses, calling on his squad to compete better and remain focused. Villa host Turkish club Fenerbahce next in the Champions League on Wednesday, aiming to overcome their defensive struggles and maintain their strong European home record under Emery despite the diminished atmosphere.