Are Aston Villa equipped to handle Champions League football?

After the highs of lifting the Europa League trophy in May, the West Midlands club have had its squad torn apart, with Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and Youri Tielemans among those departed.

While the Villans have rebuilt their squad, on current evidence it does not appear that they are on the same level, and it already looks like it will be a season of transition at Villa Park.

Now, Villa are planning for their Champions League opener against Club Brugge, but how will they cope with European football?

What to make of the new Aston Villa

The Premier League season is only three games deep, but already Villa are looking like a shadow of their former selves.

It must be noted that Emery's side endured a slow start last term too, with no wins in their opening five, but this squad do not look capable of replicating last term's success.

The Villans have shored up at the back since their opening-day humbling by Brighton, but the biggest concern is the lack of goal threat.

Emery's side are still without a goal in the Premier League, and while they did create opportunities against a stubborn Hull City side, they were far from clinical.

A frontline that once contained Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins now consists of Nicolas Jackson and Emi Buendia, while Ross Barkley is now occupying Youri Tielemans' position.

All in all, Villa look like a team in transition, with a combination of elder statesmen and players who are trying to rediscover form, a cocktail for failure.

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Is Villa's squad Champions League ready?

From what we have seen of Aston Villa so far this season, it is hard to fathom that they will thrive in the Champions League.

An away trip to Club Brugge stands out as a particularly tricky task for an out-of-form side that will then embark on two winnable Premier League fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Coventry City.

However, Emery does have some quality on the bench, with Ibrahim Mbaye and Matteo Ruggeri waiting for their chance, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka is an experienced option.

Perhaps the most frustrating factor has been Johan Manzambi's absence through injury, as he would certainly provide the missing link between midfield and attack.

Of course, poor league form does not necessarily correlate with Europe, as Tottenham showed over the last two campaigns in the Europa League and Champions League.

Rather than Aston Villa not being able to perform in the Champions League, it feels more like the competition will have a knock-on effect domestically.

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Unai Emery is the club's trump card

If any manager can handle this situation, it is Aston Villa's manager Unai Emery.

Last summer was a trying one for the Spaniard in a different way, as financial rules prohibited the club from strengthening, with an almost identical squad to play with.

After a rough start, which included some odd Emery moments in front of the press, Villa clicked into gear and not only achieved a Champions League finish, but also their first major trophy in 30 years.

That would not have been possible without master tactician and Europa League expert Emery, who has remained at the club despite challenging times and has succeeded.

Winning the Champions League would clearly be an outlandish prediction, but if Villa can progress past the league phase and steady their league form, then it would be a successful season for the club.

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