Aston Villa edge towards '£12m+' windfall in 'amazing' development - Stefan Borson

Aston Villa could be well on their way to £12million in prize money after a strong start to the 2026-27 Champions League campaign.

That is according to former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider that finishing in the top eight spots would be an "amazing achievement".

Currently, after beating Fenerbahce 6-0 at Villa Park on Wednesday, 14 October, Unai Emery's side are sitting third in the European group stage.

Wins over Fenerbahce and Club Brugge have been night and day from their performances in Premier League, with the Villans currently 16th back in England's top flight.

Next up is a home clash against Norwegian side Viking, and Emery's team will be expected to claim another important three points at home.

That would put them in a brilliant position to secure a spot in the Champions League round of 16, and ultimately would mean a healthy boost to the club's finances.

Aston Villa pushing for 'amazing' European achievement

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson believes it's too soon for fans to get ahead of themselves, but a top-eight spot would secure upwards of £12.6m in prize money.

"You either get the play-offs, which in itself is not worth that much. You get a small fee for winning the play-offs, but obviously you get one more game at home," he said.

"And they get a shot at the round of 16. I think the round of 16, from memory, is about €12m (£10.1m) to €15m (£12.6m) to qualify for that fixture.

"And of course there's the money that you're getting per point and per win. Now, you don't get any more for a six-nil win versus a one-nil win, but it's still impressive.

"They're in a strong position in the Champions League, although it is early still. It's quite dependent on who the teams have played.

"So I think we just need to wait a little bit. You'd have to think they're unlikely to finish top eight. That would be an amazing achievement."

How far can Aston Villa reach in the Champions League?

The early signs are incredibly positive. Of course, there needs to be a focus on the Premier League as well, but European success is hugely exciting.

With so many powerhouses in the Champions League, like PSG, Arsenal and Bayern Munich, fans won't be getting too ahead of themselves.

And according to Opta's supercomputer, Villa's chances of lifting the trophy stand at just 3.31 per cent, but that won't stop many from believing.

Emery is a specialist when it comes to European football, and the Villans winning the Champions League would not be the weirdest thing to happen.