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Gabriel Agbonlahor has confessed he will be devastated if Arsenal win the UEFA Champions League.
The Aston Villa striker did not know whether to laugh or cry as the Gunners came through their last-16 clash with an edgy shootout victory over Roma on Wednesday.
It was a bitter-sweet moment for Agbonlahor, who knows the win the Stadio Olimpico means Arsenal face even more games in an already congested fixture list at the business end of the season.
But the 22-year-old also realises the win in Italy increases the possibility that Arsene Wenger's side could go on to win the competition - and deprive Villa of their European dream.
Should the Gunners lift the trophy in May but finish outside the top four in the Premier League, they would go into Europe ahead of the team in fourth place - which is currently Villa.
"I'll be devastated if Villa finish fourth and still don't qualify for the Champions League," Agbonlahor told The Sun.
Painful
"It was bad enough coming sixth last year and not getting an automatic Uefa Cup place. But finishing fourth and still missing out after all our hard work would be really painful.
"If Arsenal get to the Champions League final, I'll have to go to the game in Rome and support the opposition!
"I didn't know what to feel watching them against Roma the other night. I was thinking if they lose, their heads could drop.
"But if they go through, they might have tired legs or get a few injuries. Then there's the possibility they could win the thing and automatically qualify as defending champions.
"They still have a few games to go yet before they do that and I think it will be hard for them to win it with the quality of teams left in the tournament.
"But Arsenal are a great team and, if they do go on to win the Champions League, all we can say is 'Well done'."
The Aston Villa striker did not know whether to laugh or cry as the Gunners came through their last-16 clash with an edgy shootout victory over Roma on Wednesday.
It was a bitter-sweet moment for Agbonlahor, who knows the win the Stadio Olimpico means Arsenal face even more games in an already congested fixture list at the business end of the season.
But the 22-year-old also realises the win in Italy increases the possibility that Arsene Wenger's side could go on to win the competition - and deprive Villa of their European dream.
Should the Gunners lift the trophy in May but finish outside the top four in the Premier League, they would go into Europe ahead of the team in fourth place - which is currently Villa.
"I'll be devastated if Villa finish fourth and still don't qualify for the Champions League," Agbonlahor told The Sun.
Painful
"It was bad enough coming sixth last year and not getting an automatic Uefa Cup place. But finishing fourth and still missing out after all our hard work would be really painful.
"If Arsenal get to the Champions League final, I'll have to go to the game in Rome and support the opposition!
"I didn't know what to feel watching them against Roma the other night. I was thinking if they lose, their heads could drop.
"But if they go through, they might have tired legs or get a few injuries. Then there's the possibility they could win the thing and automatically qualify as defending champions.
"They still have a few games to go yet before they do that and I think it will be hard for them to win it with the quality of teams left in the tournament.
"But Arsenal are a great team and, if they do go on to win the Champions League, all we can say is 'Well done'."
