Hamburg boss Martin Jol got in a dig at his old rivals on Tuesday as he claimed Aston Villa "are better than Arsenal".

Jol will face Villa on Wednesday night in the UEFA Cup, and the ex-Tottenham manager is predicting a tough game against a team who leap-frogged the Gunners into fourth place in the Premier League at the weekend.

Both sides have already qualified for the next round of the competition but this final group game will determine the standings and seeding for the knockout draw, and Jol is not expecting Villa to take it lightly.

"The question is whether they will play with all their regulars," he said.

"The first-team of Aston Villa are better than Arsenal and, next season, Villa will be playing in the Champions League.

"They have a very clever manager and I cannot imagine him not wanting first spot.

"Villa are perhaps one of the best teams in England."

Hamburg's director of sport Dietmar Beiersdorfer added that beating such a strong side as Villa would do his club the world of good.

"We desperately want to win this game," he said.

"It would be good for HSV's reputation on the European stage."

Jol should recall defender Guy Demel to his defence after he was suspended in the Bundesliga at the weekend while there is a doubt over the fitness of David Jarolim, who has taken a knock to his knee.

This is Hamburg's last game of 2008 before they break for almost seven weeks.

A 1-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday ensured they will spend the winter break lying in fourth position in the Bundesliga, just two points behind leaders Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich.

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