Tyrone Mings looked ahead to Aston Villa’s FA Cup semi-final clash with Crystal Palace this weekend on the latest instalment of The Official Aston Villa Podcast.
The 32-year-old joined hosts Kate Tracey and Alan McInally at Bodymoor Heath for EP11 of the popular podcast as Villa limber up for the club’s first appearance in an FA Cup semi-final for 10 years.
While looking forward to locking horns with the Eagles in the capital, Mings stressed the occasion is one that must be savoured and enjoyed by the fans, while the players keep their minds on the task at hand.
Aston Villa Podcast EP11
“I think we let the fans enjoy that,” he said.
“The FA Cup semi-final and going far in the Champions League, all those things are really important for the fans to enjoy.
“There’s a different atmosphere around the club, there’s a different feeling.
“But the only difference for players is that you use a different ball, and you play in a different stadium. Everything in terms of preparing for the game will be exactly the same.
“I’m really looking forward to it. I’m really looking forward to a great occasion for the fans. I’m really looking forward to the battle and competing, and hopefully winning.”
Being one step away from a first FA Cup final since 2015, the defender discussed the magnitude of the opportunity they have in front of them, but refused to look too far past the challenge Palace will pose.
He feels the team which settles the best and the quickest under the arch will have the greatest chance of success, and has called for he and his team-mates to use their experience to help give their supporters a day to remember.
Mings added: “It’s a stage of the tournament where you can start thinking about things like that, but we have such a tough opposition in Palace in front of us.
“It’s going to require the knowledge of the games we’ve played against them before, the knowledge of the games that we’ve played against different opposition and how well we know we can play, and also being able to handle the occasion as well.
“Playing in front of 80,000+ people at Wembley is a special but different occasion, and something that your experience will probably help with as well.
“I think teams that settle quickly and are familiar with the situation and the game that we’re playing in – the atmosphere, the build-up to it – the quicker you can park that and focus on the game and settle into it, that’s where experience will probably help as well.
“Fans play a huge part at Wembley as well, because you now have 40,000 of one and 40,000 of the other team.
“That plays a part and you want to give fans something to cheer about. You want to get on the front foot and you want to get them off their seats as well. I think that’s a really special occasion for the fans.”
The Official Aston Villa Podcast is here!
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