By Claire Boden in Vienna

There will be some Austrian Villa fans among the partisan crowd at the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium tonight.

Their surnames are Weimann. Yes it's Andreas Weimann's family.

The Vienna-born striker has returned to his homeland and former club for Villa's eagerly anticipated Europa League play-off match against Rapid Vienna.

And the self-confessed Rapid fan, who was nurtured through their youth system, admits the match is a special occasion for himself and his family.

"It feels good to be back in Austrian," he told AVTV.

"I am really happy because I am from Vienna so I am really looking forward to the game. I was 13 when I joined Rapid Vienna and I played for them for three years.

"My whole family supports Rapid and since I was a kid I supported Rapid Vienna so this is pretty special for me to play against them.

"I guess if I'll play they will support Aston Villa - I hope they will support Aston Villa. I have just told them I am in the squad and they are really happy."

The 19-year-old made his Premier League debut against West Ham on Saturday and the striker, who bagged nine goals for the reserves last season, says it was a dream come to true to don the first team claret and blue colours.

"It was really great to get five minutes and great to play in front of such an audience," said Weimann.

"To play for Aston Villa's first team is an honour. Looking at Aston Villa's centre forwards helps me develop in training. I look at what they do and what their strengths are and I try to do that."

Kevin MacDonald's charges landed in Vienna on Wednesday afternoon and Weimann's local Austrian knowledge informed AVTV of the hype Villa's arrival has created in his homeland.

He continued: "I think it is the game of the year. For Austrians it's massive to play against a Premier League side and if they could be us then it would be their season done.

"Everybody here thinks the Premier League is the best league in the world and everybody gets excited to play a Premier League team so everybody will be looking forward to the game."