Villans Abroad: Aston Villa players feature during busy international window

With UEFA Euro qualifiers and international friendlies abound, it’s time a lowdown of who is playing and where.

Aston Villa left-back Neil Taylor played the full 90 minutes for Wales in a 1-0 friendly victory over Trinidad & Tobago. Liverpool youngster Ben Woodburn scored the extra time winner for Ryan Giggs’ men in what was a practice round for next week’s Euro qualifier against Slovakia. James Chester was NOT called in, obviously, but it’s expected he will return to Villa training some time shortly after the break.

Utility midfielder Birkir Bjarnason – ever a mainstay with Iceland – was again called in for Euro qualifying matches against Andorra and France, beginning Friday evening.

Aston Villa midfield pair Conor Hourihane and Glenn Whelan (!) were called into Mick McCarthy’s Ireland team. No Scott Hogan, sadly. Ireland face Gibraltar and Georgia in UEFA Euro 2020 Group D qualifying on the 23rd and 26th of March.

Tammy Abraham – still a bit sore after picking-up a calf strain in Villa’s 3-0 victory over Boro – was fit deemed fit enough for the England U-21s.

John McGinn is with Scotland again and expected to start the country’s two Euro qualifiers against Kazakhstan and San Marino. Similarly, goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic is with FIFA World Cup runners-up Croatia for Euro qualifying matches against Azerbaijan and Hungary, beginning Thursday. Kalinic is the most senior goalkeeper on the current squad and should start despite losing his place (at least temporarily) at Aston Villa. Some important game time would do him well.

Lastly, Jonathan Kodjia is with the Ivory Coast as Les Éléphants face Rwanda in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. A few days later the team will play Liberia in a friendly.

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