It would have been nice for Aston Villa to have received a spot in the FIFA Club World Cup. That is only, however, because it would have meant an even more incredible run of form over the last couple of seasons. By all accounts, the club should consider itself fortunate to not be involved in this money-grabbing affair.
Granted, for those at the tournament itself, it will mean revenue. There is a cost to everything, though. In general, people's perceptions of this tournament are low. Fans are more likely to tune in to the Under-21 Euros than the club event.
This also allows Villa to be able to spend the needed time to work on how to resolve the PSR situation in the best possible way without also looking at the distraction of what is ultimately an extra competition that is not needed at the moment and was not asked for.
With the full summer to focus on the upcoming 2025-2026 campaign, Unai Emery and the staff will be able to have a clear picture of what moves still need to be made while looking ahead to best position Villa to be competitive from the very start once the Premier League begins.
The biggest point of benefit is rest. Players, even high-enduring ones such as Youri Tielemans, need to be able to take a break from the everyday grind of the sport and rejuvenate.
Not playing will allow Aston Villa to be fully ready
Having a break in the action will ultimately serve the club better and allow for the players to regain their legs. Particularly after having gone for Champions League and the FA Cup, playing in this extra tournament in America is the last thing that Emery's men needed to worry about.
Perhaps four years from now, there will be a slight shift, and the competition may have gained some relevance and overall interest. Even so, particularly with the EPL being the main focus of Villa, it will always be of benefit to have downtime for the players during the summer months.