Tottenham: Aston Villa oppose Spurs fixture change before Europa League final | OneFootball

Spurs want Villa Park trip in May moved forward three days to aid possible preparations for Bilbao showpiece

Familiar opponents: Tottenham beat Aston Villa 4-1 in the Premier League in November, before losing in the FA Cup fourth round

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Villa, however, have objected to the proposal on the grounds that there is no precedent for moving league games to aid English clubs in Europe.

The Villains, who are chasing a top-five finish and a return to next season's Champions League, have pointed out to the league that they have consistently played every three or four days this term.

Villa, for example, had a three-day gap between their league game against Southampton on April 12 and the decisive second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain.

The fixture against Tottenham is also Villa's final home game of the season and will include a number of pre-organised post-match activities, some of which involve players' families, which would not be possible to complete if the game was held in the evening.

In a statement released on Sunday, Tottenham said: “We should like to inform supporters that we are in discussions with the Premier League regarding a change in date to our away Premier League match against Aston Villa, currently scheduled for Sunday, 18 May.”

Spurs host Bodo on Thursday before the return leg in Norway a week later, with the winners facing Manchester United or Athletic Bilbao in the final.