Aston Villa center-back Martin Laursen has cautioned his club against overconfidence as they travel to Iceland to take on Hafnarfjardar in the first leg of their second qualifying round tie on Thursday.

“Obviously they are not playing in the Premier League like we are,” Lauresen said on the club website. “But they can still play football and on a bad day for us, if we are not concentrating, then we can lose to a side like FH Hafnarfjardar.”

Laursen’s comments were no doubt informed by the recent demise of UEFA Cup finalists Rangers, who lost a crucial away tie against Lithuanian minnow FK Kaunas to bring a premature end to their European campaign.

“We must be careful and take this game seriously,” Laursen continued. “We took Odense seriously in the Intertoto Cup and that is how we should always be.”

Villa will do well to take Laursen’s comments seriously. The 31 year old won the Champions League with AC Milan in 2003, and has extensive experience of European football at the highest level.

Manchester City could also take note of Laursen’s comment’s as they prepare to take on Denmark’s biggest club, Midtjylland, in the first leg of their UEFA Cup second qualifying round tie on Thursday.