Villa youngsters get a taste of Europe
Wednesday 28th September 2011, 9:20AM BST.
Aston Villa’s youngsters will get a taste of European football on home soil when they host their first match of the NextGen series against Turkish side Fenerbahce.
Endorsed by UEFA and the FA, the tournament has been established to assist the development of young players through a competitive European under-19 club tournament including the likes of Barcelona, Liverpool and Inter Milan.
The claret and blues lost their opening game away to Ajax but youth team coach Tony McAndrew believes the club’s younger players will gain vital experience from playing in the tournament.
McAndrew said: “Being involved in this competition can only help our young lads improve. This is why we take them on tour in pre-season.
“Games will be refereed differently, there will be different styles of play and things will go on that wouldn’t go on in the English game.”
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