Aston Villa's financial problems laid bare by Stefan Borson as 'real crunch' bites
Aston Villa's financial situaton means the club must "maximise every penny", even if it means frustrating the supporters.
That is according to former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider that Villa must use their revenue wisely if they are to compete in seasons to come.
In June, the Villans were found guilty of breaching SCR, with €7.5million (£6.4m) of their €22m (£19.2m) fine payable upfront, with the rest of it suspended.
Finances are not currently a short-term issue, with Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans sold for a combined £152m, but several players invested in to replace them.
Hoping to see their favourite players, fans were pleased to see tickets against Porto on 25 July were free for those attending, but those viewing online were forced to pay £6.99.
Understandably, the frustration was loud on social media amongst the fanbase, but Villa are being defended for their recent decisions.
Aston Villa's SCR issues continue to cause havoc
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson explained the reasons behind getting fans to pay for pre-season games, and even applauded the free access to match-going supporters against Porto.
"How many people do you think paid the £6.99? I would suggest less than a thousand. So it's neither here nor there," he said.
"Could they have offered it for free? I guess so, but most of these teams are trying to build a premium club TV channel.
"I think the gesture to let people in live for free, if that's what happened, is a good gesture. I don't think it should be criticised, but I think it's just natural that you have to pay.
"The clubs are trying to make revenue. They're in a situation where they've got to maximise every penny if they want to be able to compete.
"They are in breach of SCR 'significantly', in the words of UEFA. They are in a settlement agreement which has got a real crunch coming over the next 12 months.
"So they have to do this. The only thing you would say is clearly, as I said before, if less than a thousand people are paying, it doesn't matter what they pay.
"It's less than a thousand people; it's going to have almost no impact at all."
Could Unai Emery lose anyone else this summer?
Losing Rogers and Tielemans has been a huge blow, but the potential departure of Ezri Konsa would, undoubtedly, make the biggest impact.
Unai Emery has already added Johan Manzambi, Joao Gomes and Alejandro Garnacho to the squad, but pre-season preparations have not been ideal.
Emi Martinez's future also needs solving, but with James Trafford about to be off the market, it remains to be seen who could succeed him at Villa Park.
Amadou Onana's long-term injury also signifies a huge problem. Even with a fit Boubacar Kamara, Emery needs more than one experienced defensive midfielder.