Stefan Borson drops ‘massive’ Aston Villa verdict after stunning twist
Aston Villa are firmly in the mix to qualify for Champions League football again this season following their strong run of form.
Unai Emery’s side currently sit seventh in the Premier League table, two points behind fourth-place Chelsea heading into the final few weeks of the campaign.
There will be five Champions League spots on offer to top-flight clubs this season due to England’s position in Uefa’s coefficient rankings.
The West Midlands giants are set to face PSG in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, with the first leg taking place in the French capital on Wednesday (9 April).
They are also into the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where they will face Crystal Palace later this month for a place in the final.
Finance expert Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider Villa have a “massive” opportunity following their performances in the cup competitions.
Villa posted a club-record revenue in 2023-24 after their turnover increased from £217.7million in 2022-23 to £275.7million, while their losses fell from £119.6million to £85.4million.
However, the club’s wages increased from £194million to £252million across the same period.
Borson previously told Football Insider Villa have breached Uefa’s financial rules following their heavy spending.
Clubs in European competitions were required to keep spending on player wages and fees to 80 per cent of revenue as part of the squad cost ratio (SCR) rules for the 2024 calendar year.
Aston Villa could face new financial blow
Borson insisted Villa could face a financial issue if they don’t qualify for the Champions League this season.
He told Football Insider: “Villa are a club on the move, there’s no question they’re in an investment phase and it’s working.
“You look at the situation they’ve got in the Champions League, it’s a massive opportunity there. They have got to the semi-final of the FA Cup, that’s a massive opportunity there.
“They are still very much in the running for Champions League qualification through the Premier League, but they have invested heavily to do that.
“If they don’t make it through one of those routes into the Champions League, they will find that next season is going to be quite tough to comply with various financial fair play rules because their wage bill is very high and their general spending is very high.
“You start to get to the point where you need Champions League football. It doesn’t become an optional extra, you need it, especially in that phase where you’re trying to convert the club from more of a top-half team to more of a top-five team.
“They are very well placed, but there is some risk if they don’t make the Champions League.”
| Position | Team | Played | Points | GD |
| 1 | Liverpool | 31 | 73 | +42 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 31 | 62 | +30 |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest | 31 | 57 | +14 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 31 | 53 | +17 |
| 5 | Newcastle United | 30 | 53 | +13 |
| 6 | Man City | 31 | 52 | +17 |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 31 | 51 | 0 |
Aston Villa could agree £30m Dusan Vlahovic deal
Football Insider revealed on 4 April Villa want to sign Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic in a deal worth potentially as little as £30million this summer.
It comes after Jhon Duran left Villa Park in January, with Emery scouring the market for potential attacking additions.
Football Insider revealed on 13 March Tammy Abraham wants to re-join Villa as he hopes to secure a return to the Premier League.
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