Stiliyan Petrov urges Aston Villa players to have no regrets from Wembley trip

Petrov, who captained Villa the last time they played in a League Cup final a decade ago, will be at Wembley to roar on Dean Smith’s men as they look to spring a huge shock by beating Manchester City.

Villa are huge underdogs against Pep Guardiola’s men, who are aiming to win the competition for a third straight year.

Petrov believes it is imperative Smith’s players do not let the moment pass them by.

He told the Express & Star: “It is the occasion every player lives for. You want to take advantage of it, you want it to count.

“If you win it, then brilliant. But if you lose it, you want to make sure you have given everything as a team and as an individual and have no regrets.

“If you leave the final and you have regrets, you will never forgive yourself.”

Villa were beaten 2-1 by Manchester United back in 2010, in a final mostly remembered in Birmingham for referee Phil Dowd’s failure to send of Nemanja Vidic after the Red Devils’ defender brought down Gabriel Agbonlahor, who was through on goal, in the second minute.

Petrov, a key component in the Martin O’Neill team that finished sixth in the Premier League in three consecutive seasons, admits the failure to win a trophy during that period remains a source of frustration.

“That is the biggest regret for all of us,” he said. “We were a special team and had some special talents in the likes James Milner, Ashley Young and Gabby Agbonlahor.

“We do regret (not winning a trophy) I think we should have done much better.

“For three seasons we were so close to making the top four and we went to the semi-final against Chelsea in 2010 as well.

“We just couldn’t make that big step to achieve something, which was the big frustration for all of us.”

Petrov made 219 total appearances for Villa before being diagnosed with acute leukaemia in March, 2012.

The support he received from fans during his successful fight against the disease has created a strong bond with the club and Petrov remains good friends with Jack Grealish, who he remembers as a precocious teenager making the step up to first-team training.

“We were all thinking: ‘Who is this boy?” he said. “He was a teenager taking the ball, driving through us, nutmegging players. We were all kicking him and he would get up and go again.”

Tomorrow it will be Grealish leading Villa out at Wembley but while the eyes of many observers will be on the 24-year-old, Petrov points out he cannot win the game alone.

“Jack needs the team, he needs the support of other players,” he said

“Pep Guardiola has already said what a great performer he is so I believe they will pay extra attention to Jack on Sunday.

“They will have a plan of how to stop him, how to kill the passes. He makes the difference so he will need the team to support him.

“Jack has been doing everything for the team, working for the team. Now the team has to help him.

“My head is saying it is very difficult and more impossible than possible.

“But my heart, because I have been at the club and know the passion and what winning would mean, deep down I believe it can happen. It has been done before.

“As a former player and as a fan, I will be out there supporting. If we manage to do it, it would be a perfect achievement.”