Aston Villa Supporters Trust call on club to lower ‘extremely disappointing’ Champions League ticket prices – with seats to set fans back as much as £97 in first campaign for 41 years

Aston Villa’s Supporters Trust has called on the club to reconsider its “extremely disappointing” Champions League ticket prices.

Villa will make their first appearance in Europe’s premier tournament this season in 41 years after finishing fourth in the Premier League last season and progressing through to the qualifying round.

They are paired with clubs such as Bayern Munich, Leipzig and Juventus in the new group stage, with the teams playing against eight different opponents: four at home and four away.

Excitement was high among Villa fans as the league kicked off in a few weeks’ time, but the mood was somewhat dampened when ticket prices for home games were announced on Wednesday.

Tickets for a home game cost around £97, with season ticket holders paying £82. The cheapest adult tickets cost season ticket holders £70.

Villa will compete in Europe’s premier competition for the first time in 41 years this season

However, tickets have become up to £97 more expensive for fans, with season ticket holders paying the cheapest at £70.

In an official statement, the Supporters Trust wrote: ‘As part of the Fans Advisory Board, the AVST met with the club towards the end of last season to discuss season ticket prices, including the Champions League, should we qualify. It was made clear that prices could not be higher than those of a Category A match should we qualify.

‘For the club to announce Champions League ticket prices well above this season’s Category A is extremely disappointing, especially given the recent matchday experience of delays of over 30 minutes at the start of the stadium, [and] problems with access to seats and toilets.

‘Compared to other English clubs in this year’s Champions League and with UEFA’s limit on away tickets, today’s announcement is our best.’

Tickets not in wheelchair spaces are divided into five price categories, ranging from 1,888 seats (seats along the directors’ box at Villa Park at the top of the Trinity Road Stand) to zone four seats.

The best seats cost £97 regardless of audience, and £82 for season ticket holders.

The remaining tickets are divided into zones. A regular adult ticket costs £94 in zones one and two and £85 in zones three and four.

General category A tickets cost £78 in zone one for adults and £55 in zone four.

Tickets for over 66s or over 21s are priced at £94 for zone one, £83.50 for zone two and £75 for zones three and four. Tickets for the armed forces are slightly more expensive in all zones except zone one.

Tickets for under 18s cost £94 in zone one and £30 in all other zones. General season ticket prices are £10-£15 lower in both categories.

UEFA has set a maximum price for Champions League away tickets of just over £50.

A number of fans took to social media to criticise the competition award decision

Villa will face clubs such as Bayern Munich and Juventus at home in the league this year

Their fortunes have improved dramatically under Unai Emery and they reached the top four of the Premier League last season

Fans have criticised the move on social media, with one writing: ‘Shame on the loyal fans who came when we were absolutely not worth watching, fix it.’

Another added: ‘At those prices, Bayern will be sold out because it’s the first one. Bologna won’t. Juve will be close. Celtic will depend on whether we need a result by then. Seeing empty seats in our first Champions League campaign will look ridiculous for the club.’

A third posted: ‘Keeping the majority of fans out. My dad and I have loved visiting the Villa over the years (maybe not so much with some of our gigs back then) but for both of us it’s now an unaffordable luxury to go with all that entails.’

Villa will play Bayern, Juventus, Celtic and Bologna at home in the group stage, with the competition starting on 17 September against Young Boys.