Aston Villa faces Al Ain in free friendly match

Aston Villa will play a friendly match against Al Ain on Thursday evening in Abu Dhabi. The game is set to start at 10:00 PM local time at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. Fans can attend for free by entering through gates 4, 5, 6, and 7. These gates will open at 8:00 PM. Many key Villa players are away on international duty. Therefore, manager Unai Emery plans to give playing time to other squad members and young players. This friendly match is important for maintaining fitness during the international break. It allows players to showcase their skills in a competitive setting. Al Ain is the reigning champion of the AFC Champions League, making this a challenging matchup. Villa needs this game to stay sharp as they prepare for upcoming fixtures. They have a crucial FA Cup quarter-final against Preston later this month and a Champions League quarter-final against PSG in April. Aston Villa is currently ninth in the Premier League, only four points behind the top four teams.