Aston Villa to face Sevilla for the Antonio Puerta Trophy
Aston Villa are set to compete against Sevilla in the 15th edition of the Antonio Puerta Trophy, a friendly fixture held in memory of the late Sevilla academy graduate.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Author: dalli58
On Friday evening, Aston Villa will play a friendly match at Sevilla's Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium, competing for the Antonio Puerta Trophy. The fixture is held annually in memory of Sevilla academy product Antonio Puerta, who tragically passed away in 2007 at the age of 22 following a cardiac arrest during a La Liga game.
Puerta was a significant figure for the club, having helped Sevilla secure five trophies in just 15 months, including two consecutive Uefa Cups. Since his passing, the club established a memorial trophy that has grown from a local pre-season match into an annual tradition featuring international opponents.
This year's 15th edition marks a milestone as Aston Villa become the first English club invited to participate. The match holds personal significance for Villa manager Unai Emery, who previously coached Sevilla between 2013 and 2016, leading the team to three consecutive Europa League titles during his tenure.
Regarding team news, Aston Villa have received a boost as Leon Goretzka has traveled to Spain following his recovery from a knee injury. Striker Brian Madjo is also available after being sidelined since the Uefa Super Cup match against Paris St-Germain, while Taylor Harwood-Bellis is expected to feature as he looks to gain further minutes on the pitch.