Jack Grealish says he'll miss the feeling of being targeted by opposition fans when football returns behind closed doors, because he thrives off it just like Cristiano Ronaldo.
Aston Villa captain Grealish is desperate to help keep his boyhood club in the Premier League this season, with Villa's campaign resuming with a match against Sheffield United on June 17.
Dean Smith's side currently sit 19th in the top-flight, but if they were to win that game in hand against the Blades then they would climb out of the relegation zone.
And Grealish says he can't wait to return to the pitch, albeit without the familiar refrain of abuse from fans off it.
“I love all that,” he told the Express & Star. “I love when people are on my back and targeting me.
I always remember when I was a kid - and I am not saying I am anywhere near his level - but Cristiano Ronaldo used to come to Villa (for Manchester United ) and the fans used to absolutely cane him.
“He used to thrive off it and that is what I try to do. I try to thrive off the hatred from the fans.”
There has been suggestions the clubs could look to pump fake crowd noise into stadiums in order to mask the eerie nature of a behind closed doors match, and Grealish says any proposal to do that at Villa would be put to the whole squad.
“I would be fine with it,” he added .
“But if it came down to a vote I would probably let my teammates choose because it would not really bother me whether there was crowd noise or not.
“I have just been raring to go and desperate to get back since we have been told we can.”
