Aston Villa have seen two of their upcoming Premier League fixtures in February selected for live television coverage, resulting in significant schedule changes for the club and its supporters.
Revised Kick-Off Times for TV Audiences
The club's home match against Brighton & Hove Albion has been shifted to a 7:30 pm kick-off on Wednesday, February 11. This fixture will be broadcast live on TNT Sports.
Furthermore, the highly anticipated West Midlands derby away to Wolverhampton Wanderers has been brought forward. It is now scheduled for Friday, February 27, with an 8 pm start. This clash will be shown live on Sky Sports, with Villa aiming to secure a league double over their local rivals.
Potential Europa League Impact on Schedule
However, the derby date at Molineux is subject to change based on Villa's progress in European competition. If Villa are required to participate in the Europa League knockout play-off round, the Wolves match will be postponed to Sunday, March 1, with a 7 pm kick-off.
Currently positioned third in their Europa League group, Villa are expected to secure automatic qualification for the Round of 16, which would allow the original Friday night derby to proceed as planned.
A Rare Saturday 3pm Kick-Off in Prospect
Sandwiched between these televised games is Villa's home encounter with Leeds United on Saturday, February 21. As this match has not been chosen for TV coverage, it is likely to proceed with a traditional 3 pm Saturday kick-off. This would mark the club's first such fixture in over a year.
This, too, carries a caveat related to European football. Should Villa drop out of the top eight in their Europa League group and enter the play-offs, the Leeds game could also be moved to a Sunday.
These fixture adjustments highlight the complex interplay between domestic and European commitments for top-flight clubs, with broadcast demands significantly influencing the schedule for fans.
