Aston Villa head coach Natalia Arroyo is setting her sights on revenge as her side prepares to face London City Lionesses this weekend. The Pride handed Villa a bitter 3-1 defeat at Villa Park back in November, a result that dented what had been an impressive early-season run for the Claret and Blue.

Speaking ahead of the upcoming clash at The Copperjax Stadium, Arroyo made it clear that her team is hungry to turn the tables. "I hope that players want to get revenge for that result," she said. "We are hungry, we want to win and finish the season with three points. On the other hand, we know how strong and powerful they can be. They have good individuals and are moving in the right direction as a club."

The match isn't just about redemption—it's also a fascinating tactical battle between two Spanish coaches. Arroyo will go head-to-head with former colleague Eder Maestre, who took over as London City Lionesses head coach in January. The pair previously worked together in Spain, with Maestre serving as Arroyo's assistant coach.

"It will be a special game because I will meet my good friend Eder in his first adventure in England," Arroyo added with a smile. "It'll be nice to fight against him rather than having him next to me on the bench. He knows me and I know him, so let's see how we surprise each other. It will be nice."

While Aston Villa impressed in the first half of the season, wins have been harder to come by since the winter break. Arroyo acknowledged the dip in form and revealed that the club is conducting a thorough review. "We are reviewing and analysing everything to understand all of the reasons why we were not able to complete as strong as we did in the beginning or win more points," she explained. "Some circumstances haven't helped like player availability and emotional things that we go through as a group. We knew that we needed to build."

With pride and points on the line, this weekend's fixture promises to be a compelling chapter in both clubs' seasons. For Arroyo and her squad, it's all about showing their ambition and proving they can bounce back. As she put it: "It's in our hands to beat them and show our ambitions. It's about having the pride of winning after previously not being able to do that. Let's find a good performance, be honest in our work, try our best and see if we can implement a plan where we can create more chances than them, defend properly and give them a tough last game at home."