Aston Villa have released a statement following the death of music legend Ozzy Osbourne, who the club say had a “special connection” to the Premier League side
Premier League club Aston Villa have issued a heartfelt tribute to Ozzy Osbourne and his “special connection” to the club after the rock legend’s death at the age of 76.
The former Black Sabbath star passed away on Tuesday surrounded by loved ones after years of battling ill health. He had only just performed in front of fans in Birmingham at the start of the month as he headlined a show called Back to the Beginning – which was held at Villa Park.
Osbourne – who was known as The Prince Of Darkness – had to undergo a strict training programme in order to be in a good condition to perform at the show after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2019.
Villa said they were “saddened” to hear about his passing as they gave a nod towards Osbourne’s upbringing in Birmingham, where his iconic band Black Sabbath was formed.
A statement read: “Aston Villa Football Club is saddened to learn that world-renowned rockstar and Villan, Ozzy Osbourne has passed away.
READ MORE: Ozzy Osbourne dead UPDATES: Elton John leads tributes to Black Sabbath starREAD MORE: Premier League star leaves training camp as Newcastle make their move for striker
“Growing up in Aston, not far from Villa Park, Ozzy always held a special connection to the club and the community he came from.
“The thoughts of everyone at Aston Villa are with his wife Sharon, his family, friends, and countless fans at this extremely difficult time. Rest in peace, Ozzy.”
His wife Sharon Osbourne previously detailed how Osbourne was gearing up for his big farewell concert at Villa Park.
She said: “Ozzy’s working with his therapist every single day. He’s doing really well, actually. Ozzy’s number one thing in life is his fans, so he’s working hard to be ready for them, to make this show the perfect way to end things.”
It was an emotional day for the veteran rock star as his daughter Kelly got engaged to partner Sid Wilson in front of her father at the concert, while he also met fans who spent hours queuing up to see him in the Midlands.
Speaking about what would end up being his final show, the legend couldn’t hide his pride over the performance.
He said: “It’s my final encore; it’s my chance to say thank you to my fans for always supporting me and being there for me. I couldn’t have done my final show anywhere else. I had to go back to the beginning.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
