Jack Grealish will miss thriving off 'hatred from fans' like Cristiano Ronaldo when Premier League returns

Aston Villa captain also expresses regret for breaching coronavirus lockdown rules

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  Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish is “deeply embarrassed” after he “stupidly agreed” to go to a friend’s house during the coronavirus lockdown. PA

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  Jack Grealish has spent his entire career at Aston Villa. PA

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  Jack Grealish after Aston Villa lose to Leicester City in the Premier League. EPA

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  Jack Grealish in action during Aston Villa's Premier League match against Leicester City. EPA

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  Jack Grealish after Aston Villa's loss to Leicester City. Reuters

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  Jack Grealish takes on Ricardo Pereira during Aston Villa's match against Leicester City. Getty Images

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  Jack Grealish before Aston Villa's match against Leicester City. Reuters

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  Jack Grealish takes on Phil Foden during the League Cup final between Aston Villa and Manchester City. Getty Images

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  Jack Grealish lunges in to block a cross from Ilkay Gundogan during the League Cup final. Getty Images

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  Jack Grealish lies on the pitch after Aston Villa's defeat in the League Cup final. Getty Images

Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish has said he will miss feeding off the "hatred from fans" when the Premier League is played behind closed doors for the remainder of the season.

Grealish has often found himself the target of opposition fans, most notably when a supporter from rivals Birmingham City charged on to the pitch last season and hit him.

However, while Premier League grounds can be intimidating places, the Villa midfielder insists he thrives in the hostile atmospheres - similar to Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who is consistently booed and jeered inside away stadiums.

"I love all that,' Grealish told the Express and Star. "I love when people are on my back and targeting me.

"I always remember when I was a kid – and I am not saying I am anywhere near his level – but Cristiano Ronaldo used to come to Villa and the fans used to absolutely cane him.

"He used to thrive off it and that is what I try to do. I try to thrive off the hatred from the fans."

In a separate interview with The Guardian, Grealish expressed his regret over his controversial actions during the coronavirus lockdown.

Police were called to reports a Range Rover had crashed into two parked cars, with pictures emerging online of the Aston Villa captain at the scene in slippers and a bright blue hoodie.

The midfielder later said he was “deeply embarrassed” by the incident – less than a day after launching a video appeal for people to stay at home during the Government-enforced lockdown.

“I knew straight away that I had to come out and apologise myself, which I wanted to do; I didn’t want to hide behind a club statement," Grealish said.

“I am old enough now and mature enough to know that I’d done wrong.

“I know I am a footballer but I’m still human and we all make mistakes and straight away I knew I’d made a mistake. I’m also a role model as well to a lot of people out there, especially young children who might look up to me.

“So I try to act in respectable manner but since then I have tried to keep my head down, work hard and do as much charitable work as possible.”

Grealish, who has donated £150,000 (Dh693,000) to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and raised a further £55,000 for the NHS by raffling off one of his Villa shirts, accepts his misdeeds will always be placed under greater scrutiny.

“That’s just the way things are in this world that we live in. Everyone knows when you do something it’s always going to be the bad stuff that gets out there," he said.

“That’s what I have to deal with. I respect my job, absolutely love what I do, and wouldn’t change it for the world.”