Di Canio Gesture Towards Villa Fans?

Last updated : 27 April 2013 By Tott Dixon - Seaham

Paolo Di Canio has already seen Villa at close hand this season having sent his Swindon side into Capital Cup battle against them in October only to see Christian Benteke snatch a face-saving 3-2 victory for the Premier League outfit with a last-gasp winner.

The 44-year-old was later accused of making a gesture towards the Villa supporters suggesting he believed they would be playing their football in the npower Championship next season, something he continues to deny.

Nevertheless, he is likely to receive a hostile welcome on Monday evening, and it does not bother him one bit.

Di Canio: "I went to St James' Park without any sort of worry - you can't imagine I would be worried at Villa Park, with all respect.

"I played in front of 70,000 singing the worst Italian words at me, and that only gave me more energy.

"But what happened was clear - it was to praise my fans because they were on top, in my opinion.

"We lost that game, a game in which we should have been two or three goals in front. We dominated the game against them.

"I said thanks to my fans. I said to them, 'You were on top. We lost on the field, but you were on top'.

"It was my opinion, it wasn't any bad gesture against the opponents, I just wanted to thank my fans."