Robin van Persie had praised Aston Villa ahead of Thursday’s Europa League clash at De Kuip
Robin van Persie is happy to see Aston Villa’s resurgence since calling time on his Premier League career. The Feyenoord boss last encountered Villa in December 2014, roughly a year-and-a-half before the Midlands outfit tumbled into the Championship.
Van Persie had previously netted a memorable hat-trick against Villa in April 2013, featuring a spectacular volley at Old Trafford, as Manchester United clinched the Premier League crown under Sir Alex Ferguson that campaign.
In recent times, Villa have experienced an extraordinary revival.
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Supported by V Sports ownership and, crucially, under Unai Emery’s stewardship, the club has achieved three successive European qualifying campaigns, re-establishing themselves amongst England’s elite.
“Aston Villa is obviously a fantastic team with a fantastic manager,” Van Persie said in his pre-match press conference. “That’s beyond doubt. They’re super fit and play very structured. I think we are too. Based on that, it won’t be a chaotic match.
“I think it could be a very good match at first glance. In my opinion, they’re definitely the favourites. That’s logical when you’re talking about a top team in the Premier League.
“Many players are further along their journey to becoming top footballers or are already there. But that’s no reason why we won’t do everything we can to win. It’s certainly no less important than the Eredivisie.”
Van Persie added: “I scored a hat-trick against Villa in 2013! I also like Aston Villa – they have a beautiful stadium and they had been suffering for so many years.
“It has been great how they have improved and then got into the Champions League. They are playing in the strongest league. I am curious and I want to measure where we are at this point.”
After a shaky start to the season, Villa managed to turn their fortunes around last week, securing victories over Bologna and Fulham.
“The standard of the Premier League is so high,” Van Persie commented when asked about Villa’s form. “It is just so difficult to win. Some games are tactically really good, but most games are just a battle.
“Every player is fighting for every single metre. That makes it really hard to win. Villa have a really good structure and a clear way of attacking. They have patterns, but then they can lose on a set piece or a free kick. You have to be demanding in every aspect of the game.”
Van Persie also hailed Villa striker Ollie Watkins ahead of Thursday’s meeting.
The England international, who had failed to score in his previous seven Premier League appearances, opened his account for the season against Fulham on Sunday.
When asked what he admires most about Watkins’ game, Van Persie said: “I think his runs, the way he moves. He is really direct as a striker and has a really good feel for space.
“He is fast, technical, and in the box is where his qualities lay. He will be a big threat against us tomorrow.
“He is definitely one of their threats. We had a meeting about Aston Villa this morning. He was in it quite a bit.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
