European exit 'might shape Villa's trajectory for seasons to come'

Against Newcastle United, Aston Villa finally produced a Premier League performance worthy of their potential - the kind their squad, at least on paper, has hinted at all season.Now back to full strength and apparently reset after the March international break, Villa seem to have developed a new edge and focus.Ironically, it may be the Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain that has truly ignited them.Over two legs, the talented champions of France exposed Villa to a new level of intensity - the pace, precision, and positional discipline that define the elite. In trying to live with that, Villa were forced to raise their own game.The result may have been an eventual exit over two legs, but the experience has invigorated them.Since the first leg in Paris, Villa have scored 10 goals in three matches. From the second leg at Villa Park, if there is one thing the players will have taken away, it is the belief - and the hunger - that they belong at that level. That they could compete without an apparent ceiling of ambition. Suddenly, securing Champions League football next season is not just a target - it feels like a necessity.There is no time now for regret over dropped points earlier in the campaign - just a relentless determination to finish the job.Tuesday's trip to Etihad Stadium presents the first truly 50-50 league clash there, arguably since Sheikh Mansour took ownership of Manchester City in 2008.If Villa can secure a first league win at City since then, it would not only put them in pole position for a Champions League spot but underline their growing status as a legitimate force in English football.What began as a painful European exit might just become the vital spark that fuels Villa's final push - and shapes the club's trajectory for seasons to come.Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external

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