ALTHOUGH his future with Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz is unclear at the moment, there’s no question about Leon Bailey’s status at English Premier League (EPL) club Aston Villa as he eagerly awaits the start of their UEFA Champions League journey this season.

The Birmingham-based club, which won its opening league game of the new season on Saturday against West Ham United, exceeded expectations in the 2023/24 campaign after finishing in the top four of the EPL. Aston Villa placed ahead of the likes of the traditional ‘big six’ clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester United, to book a spot in Europe’s prestigious club tournament.

The 27-year-old Jamaican last played for the country in November 2023 in a Nations League fixture against Canada before then Head Coach Heimir Hallgrimsson suspended him for breaking team curfew.

He then turned down a call-up to the Reggae Boyz squad for the June 20-July 14, 2024 Copa America, citing his previous stated intention to take a break from national duties. The Jamaica Football Federation responded by suspending him indefinitely.

However, Steve McClaren, who was named as Hallgrimsson’s successor in late July, has since expressed a willingness to welcome Bailey into the fold.

His relationship with Aston Villa has been far more amicable.

Bailey, who joined the club in 2021, was a key player in the team’s success last season with 28 goal contributions, including 10 goals and nine assists in the league. He was rewarded for his fine form with a revised contract that will keep him at the club for another three years, with the option of a fourth.

The league phase draw of the Champions League takes place on August 29, with Villa currently in pot four. They could potentially go up against the likes of many-time champions Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Juventus.

Bailey, the former Genk and Bayer Leverkusen attacker, says he relishes the chance to go up against some of Europe’s best.

“I’m very excited, trust me, because I’ve played in the Champions League a few times before but I never had the run that I wanted to because of injuries. But, hopefully, this season can be a very good season — not just for me but for the whole team in the Champions League and the league as well,” he said in an interview posted on Aston Villa’s YouTube channel.

“It’s going to be a lot of games but we just have to manage ourselves and enjoy each moment as they come. It’s going to be a good season.

“I think everybody will be buzzing for the first game at Villa Park. I know it’s going to be special for us, for the fans, for the whole club, even Birmingham, but it’s important that we try to take everything one step at a time and, on those days, try to deliver as much as possible — and that’s what we’ll try to do.”

Villa competed in the UEFA Europa Conference League — Europe’s third-tier competition — last season, just missing out on an appearance in the final when they were eliminated by Greece’s Olympiakos in the semi-finals.

Bailey believes the experience will be beneficial heading into the top tier of European football.

“We’re going in the right direction. We’re grateful we had the experience in the Conference League to be able to understand and, for a lot of players who have never played in Europe, to get a feel of how things will be because the club is going up now and I think it’s good that players get experience like that to know how to manage themselves and understand more about the game,” he said.

“We’re just grateful to be in the Champions League this year; it’s [at a] much higher level. It’s not going to be easy but I believe in our squad, I believe in our manager, and we’re just trying to work as hard as possible to be able to accomplish whatever goals we’ve set out for the season,” Bailey added.

With a change in expectations around the club, he said Head Coach Unai Emery has been playing a huge role in ensuring they raise their standards.

“He’s very demanding, he’s very into the sport. He loves the details of it and he’s very passionate about and tries to instil that into the players and let everybody understand and create a winning mentality. He’s been putting a lot of pressure on the players but also fun at the same time.

“Whether you’re starting or coming from the bench, he always makes you feel confident and comfortable within our style and our idea, so the confidence comes with that as well. Obviously with the season we had, last season was brilliant, and moving into the season it’s going to be more difficult but the confidence is definitely going to be there,” assured Bailey.

Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey (right) celebrates with teammate Youri Tielemans after scoring his team’s fourth goal during the English Premier League match against West Ham United at Villa Park in Birmingham, central England, on October 22, 2023. (Photos: AFP)

Aston Villa Head Coach Unai Emery

Aston Villa’s Jamaican striker Leon Bailey (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Aston VIlla at Emirates Stadium in London on April 14, 2024. Villa won 2-0.