The true scale of Aston Villa's impending fixtures nightmare after Champions League slip
Aston Villa face the prospect of playing six matches in the space of 16 days in February.
After failing to take the opportunity of getting a result at Monaco in their penultimate Champions League league phase match on Tuesday night, Villa could now drop into the knockout play-offs. Unai Emery's side would have to play a two-legged tie either side of their home Premier League match against Ipswich Town.
The first leg of the play-off would be scheduled for Tuesday, February 11/12 and the return leg a week later on February 18/19. UEFA say that in each round of the knockout phase, each club will, in principle, be scheduled to play once on a Tuesday and once on a Wednesday.
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After Villa saw off West Ham to progress into the fourth round of the FA Cup, the were drawn against Tottenham. The game will kick-off at 5:35pm on Sunday, February 9 because Spurs play the previous Thursday - February 6 - at Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg.
But just two days after Villa play Tottenham, the Champions League knockout play-offs get underway and Villa won't know what day their first leg is scheduled for until Friday, January 31.
After the second leg, Villa entertain Chelsea at Villa Park on Saturday, February 22 before they then travel to Crystal Palace on Tuesday, 25. If Villa progress past Tottenham in the fourth round of the FA Cup, then they will play in that competition on the weekend of March 1.
The Champions League round of 16 ties are scheduled for March 4/5 and March 11/12 either side of a trip to Brentford and before a home game against Liverpool.
