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Former Aston Villa midfielder Yacouba Sylla has admitted that he still keeps an eye on how the club are getting on.

The midfielder is curently on loan at Montepellier, but he hasn't forgotten his time in England.

In an interview with 'Get French Football', he explains why he still keeps an eye on his old team's results.

He stated: " Personally, I follow Villa every weekend, because I still have colleagues who play there. We all know their supporters – it is magical at Villa Park that the fans are always there for the team, even in the Championship.

"I do not think they are sinking, it is a club in transition. After that, to go from the Premier League to the Championship is quite hard, because it is a relatively difficult league – I think it is the hardest second division in Europe. They play a lot of matches, and many players who are used to the Premier League have to adapt to a style of play that is completely different.

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"It is hard, just ask Wolves and all the clubs who have also gone down. The Championship is no fun, it is a very hard league. I have friends who play there every weekend, and it is difficult but full of passion. Teams who go down from the Premier League will not automatically go up after the season they play in the Championship."