Patrick Yazbek

Patrick Yazbek

In one sense, Nashville SC coach B.J. Callaghan wants to use Saturday’s friendly against English Premier Club Aston Villa as a litmus test.

Where might the Boys in Gold stand in comparison to one of the EPL’s better squads, a club that finished sixth out of 20 teams last season, fourth in 2023-24 and seventh in 2022-23? Villa this year played in the prestigious UEFA Champions League tournament for the first time, reaching the quarterfinal stage.