Odense boss Olsen hoping to spring Intertoto surprise on Villa

Odense BK manager Lars Olsen is targeting another shock to add to his collection after his team landed a plum Intertoto Cup clash with Aston Villa. 

Upbeat: Olsen

Olsen captained Denmark to one of the greatest upsets in football history - their Euro 92 triumph when the former Yugoslavia were refused permission to take part and the Danes stepped in at late notice.  

Villa will face Odense BK over the next two weekends in the third and final round of the Intertoto Cup after the Danes overcame Finnish side TPS Turku 4-1 on aggregate.  

Odense followed up a 2-1 away victory over their Finnish opponents with a 2-0 win at home to secure themselves a two-leg clash with Martin O'Neill's side.  

The first leg will be played in Denmark next weekend, with the return at Villa Park on the following weekend. The winners of the tie will go into the UEFA Cup second qualifying round.   

Olsen is relishing the visit of Villa to Fionia Park on Saturday.  

'We like to be in possession of the ball but this time we'll be the underdogs,' he said.   'We won't get as many chances so we have to score with the chances we do get.  

'We'll have to see. They're an English Premier League team but why can't we take them by surprise?'  

Odense took a stranglehold on their tie with TPS after 21 minutes of the second leg when Baye Djiby Fall swept home Bjorn Runstrom's pass.  

Busy times: Martin O'Neill is likely to see a number of new faces coming in to Villa Park as well as some possible exits

The Senegalese striker grabbed his second goal six minutes after the interval following a neat lay-off from veteran former Denmark international Thomas Helveg to seal a 4-1 aggregate win.  

Villa could lose captain Gareth Barry to Liverpool before the European campaign begins for O'Neill's men - despite stressing at the weekend that a deal is not yet in place.

O'Neill is holding out for £18million for the midfielder, a price Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is reluctant to pay in a straight cash deal.  

Villa are confident USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan will soon be handed a work permit, and formally become their second summer signing.

O'Neill is eager to add the Chivas USA player to a squad which has already been bolstered by the arrival of midfielder Steve Sidwell. 

Villa failed in the last transfer window with an attempt to sign the 23-year-old but O'Neill is heartened by the player's recent international outings and believes they could tip the balance in favour of the move.

O'Neill told www.avfc.co.uk: 'As everyone knows we chased him last January and were hopeful at the tribunal for the work permit and it was narrowly defeated.  

'Since then he has played quite a number of games for the USA - not only in friendly matches but also in competitive games by playing a couple of matches in the World Cup (qualifiers). 

'His position would have improved immensely, so we are very hopeful.'