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."