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Villa's Mellberg: Sting taken out of derby

Olof Mellberg doesn't believe today's derby between Aston Villa and Birmingham has the tension of past clashes.

He said: "It is a different game now. When I played in it for the first time, it was different because they hadn't been in the Premier League for quite a long time and they were really underdogs.

"It is different now. We have played them a few times and the atmosphere is a little bit different now but it is always a tough place to go to.

"It is always a really good atmosphere in the derby. Maybe it has changed a little bit because we have played quite a few times now.

"Birmingham have been a Premier League side for most of the time I've been here so it is not really the same as the first time."

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