So, we meet again: Aston Villa v Young Boys preview and team news

Former Champions League foes meet in the Europa League at Villa Park

After the chaos and nonsense of the last match week in the Europa League comes the sweet relief of some actual European football to enjoy or suffer as the outcome dictates.

Aston Villa saw off Maccabi Tel Aviv with little fuss in the end. The political fallout continues but the focus is squarely on West Midlands Police rather than Villa.

While I remain in WMP’s corner on this one and continue to think it’s disgusting that a local safety decision is being pulled apart for nakedly political and often Islamophobic aims, it’s best for the club to stay out of that particular conversation.

After the bedlam of Europa League game four, the relative serenity of game five. The visit of BSC Young Boys to Villa Park on Thursday is bound to be a noisy affair, feisty on the pitch and by no means pacified by the early kick-off time, but at least it’ll be about the football.