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Solano wants to sign off in style - 30/04/2004
Nolberto Solano has vowed to end his season in style against Tottenham and make amends for his early bath at Middlesbrough.
The diminutive Villa midfielder's campaign comes to a premature end on Sunday and he wants to sign off with a win and a first league goal of the season.
His spat with George Boateng rules him out for three games for violent conduct.
He will be replaced by Lee Hendrie against Southampton and Manchester United but also misses the opening match of next season.
The 29-year-old Peru international ironically received one of his two other red cards in English football at White Hart Lane in January 2001.
Three months later he was dismissed for the same offence at Ipswich Town - deliberate handball on the goal line
The Boateng incident still rankles. He said: "His reaction was disappointing and frustrating but it happened and there's not a lot I can do.
"It was the first time I've been sent off for something like that in my career. I've been sent off for trying to save a goal on the line with my hands like a goalkeeper twice three years ago, but I've never had a reaction like that before.
"It is not usual. I would never lose my head like that."
Solano has scored three times for Peru and once for Newcastle in Europe but not in the Premiership.
He added: "The disappointment is that this will be my final game of the season. I have to do my best, I want to finish well and I want to push Villa forward.
"I want to finish with one goal this season. I am happy to help out the team and we are doing very well but it is still a disappointment to me that I haven't scored."
Meanwhile, Solano has warned Villa that next season will be tough but says European qualification would not arrive too soon for the club if they were to qualify this year.
He has always said this season was all about rebuilding slowly, but knows Villa's rivals are all set to dig deep.
He said: "In football you never know what is going to happen. You can talk for ever and a day, but you have to perform on the pitch like we have.
"We have a small squad but we work hard and we are pushing all the way. We know that whatever happens we have done well.
"But next season will be very tough because we know Liverpool and Newcastle will do much better, maybe Tottenham, Middlesbrough will have to do much better, Charlton as well."
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