Unai Emery has made it clear that Aston Villa cannot use Villa Park’s redevelopment as an excuse for their poor home form. Yet, with the North Stand closed and the stadium operating at a reduced capacity, the challenge facing his side is becoming increasingly visible.
Villa is still searching for their first home victory of the season after Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Brentford. They had previously lost at Villa Park to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, leaving Emery under pressure to restore the fortress-like atmosphere that once defined his team in Birmingham.
The Villa Park rebuild is part of a long-term plan to increase capacity beyond 50,000, with the North Stand currently a construction site. While the project is designed to strengthen the club’s future, it has temporarily removed around 7,000 supporters and reduced the matchday capacity to roughly 37,000.
Emery acknowledged the impact but insisted his players must adapt. “Our handicap is fewer supporters, but the club made that decision,” he said. “Without 7,000 supporters, we must push everyone, play better football, compete better and be more focused.”
A Changed Villa Park
The absence of the North Stand has altered the feel of Villa’s home fixtures. Brentford manager Keith Andrews admitted that playing in a stadium with one side missing creates a different environment, underlining how much Villa have lost in atmosphere and intensity.
Defender Matty Cash was equally honest. He said Villa must deal with the circumstances rather than make excuses, while acknowledging that the three-sided stadium feels noticeably different from the full Villa Park of previous seasons.
“When it is done, it will be amazing,” Cash said. “But at the moment, it is a bit different. You have to play what is in front of you.”
From Fortress to Fragility
Villa’s home struggles did not begin with the redevelopment. Since the start of 2026, they have lost the sense of invincibility that Emery built after arriving nearly four years ago.
Between November 2022 and January 2026, Villa lost only eight of 61 home Premier League matches, winning 44. That period included 15 consecutive home victories between March and December 2023, as well as a 12-month unbeaten league run at Villa Park from August 2024 to August 2025.
However, their form has become less reliable. Defeats to Everton, Brentford, Chelsea and Tottenham damaged their top-four push last season, while late goals were needed against Leeds, Brighton and Sunderland to rescue results.
This season, the pattern has continued. Villa have taken only one point from their first three home league fixtures, with Nicolas Jackson’s equaliser against Brentford their first goal scored in front of the skeletal North Stand.
Fenerbahce Test Awaits
Champions League football returns to Villa Park on Wednesday when Fenerbahce visit Birmingham. Villa opened their European campaign with a win at Club Brugge, and another victory would strengthen their position in the league phase before November.
Fenerbahce arrive in strong attacking form, having scored 11 goals in their previous two matches, including an 8-0 win over Eyupspor. They also feature Marcos Asensio, who scored eight goals during a successful loan spell at Villa from Paris Saint-Germain in 2025.
Asensio’s return is a reminder of the confidence Villa once showed at home. His goal in Fenerbahce’s 3-0 win over Rizespor at the weekend adds another layer of danger for a Villa defence that has kept only one clean sheet this season.
Villa’s European record under Emery remains strong. They have lost just once at home in Europe during his tenure, against Olympiacos in the 2024 Europa Conference League semi-final, and Emery ended the club’s long wait for silverware by winning the Europa League in May.
Cash believes Villa must reclaim that European edge. “Over the last few years, our home form has been amazing, especially in Europe,” he said. “We need to get back to that.”
Villa will also host Viking in the Champions League league phase on 21 October. If they can turn Villa Park into a difficult venue again, even with only three stands in use, they can keep their European qualification hopes firmly on track.
