Aston Villa, Brighton among teams to resume Soccer Sevens rivalry in Hong Kong
Five Premier League academies and one side from the Netherlands will battle it out at the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens in May, with Champions League quarter-finalists Aston Villa among those returning to Hong Kong.
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Aston Villa lost last year's final to Brighton & Hove Albion, who will also return to Football Club for this year's event.
The Soccer Sevens is a 16-team, seven-a-side competition. Academy sides will compete in 14-minute round-robin and knockout games between May 16 and 18.
The tournament gives Hongkongers the opportunity to watch some of football's rising stars in action and leading clubs get the chance to put some of their younger players under pressure in a different setting.
Last year, Benicio Baker-Boaitey, who played five games in the Premier League in the 2023-24 season, featured for Brighton. Manchester City's Jack Grealish famously played for Aston Villa in 2014.
Aston Villa's Rico Richards (left) tries to bring the ball under control during his side's game against West Ham during the 2024 Soccer Sevens. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
Joining Aston Villa and Brighton this year are top-flight clubs Leicester City, Newcastle United and West Ham United.
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