Unai Emery makes move to include Diego Carlos in Aston Villa matchday squads despite not being ready to play
Aston Villa coach Unai Emery included Diego Carlos in the last two matchday squads to help lift his spirits, even though he wasn’t quite ready to play, according to The Athletic.
Villa splashed out £26m to prise the centre-back away from Sevilla back in June, but he has only been able to make two appearances to date after rupturing his Achilles tendon in August.
The 30-year-old defender has endured a frustrating time since arriving on English shores last summer but is closing in on a return to first-team action.
And according to The Athletic journalist Gregg Evans, writing in David Ornstein’s Monday Column [20 March], Emery made the mastermind decision to include Carlos in his last two matchday squads to lift his spirits and boost confidence despite not being ready to play.
The hope is that he will be available for selection when the club campaign resumes on April 1 after the current international break, when Villa travel to Stamford Bridge.
Evans’ news comes as a welcome boost to the Villans as they set on a quest to secure a European spot for next season, and Carlos’ experience and defensive quality may well sprinkle some much-needed stardust on their ambitions for the remainder of the campaign.
Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa have been Emery’s go-to defensive partnership in recent weeks and have really impressed with the club keeping three clean sheets over their last five games.
In fact, the club have enjoyed a terrific renaissance since the Spaniard’s appointment in November, picking up 26 points from a possible 51 on offer in the Premier League, and the club currently sit four points from Liverpool in sixth.
Improving the defence has been one of the biggest reasons behind Emery’s success with Villa, conceding just one goal in their last three games and Carlos’ return will only add to the quality at the Spaniard’s disposal.
The Brazilian has proven one of the best and most reliable centre-backs across Europe over the past few campaigns becoming a pivotal figure in much of Sevilla’s success both domestically and most notably in Europe helping them to the UEFA Europa League title back in 2020.
Last season, the defender also helped the club to 13 clean sheets from 38 games, won 65% of his aerial duels, won 58% of his ground duels and 62% of his total duels whilst also averaging 1.0 tackles and an astonishing 3.5 clearances per game [SofaScore], more than Konza’s own 2022/23 tally.
He was only dribbled past 0.2 times per game on average for Sevilla last term, highlighting his dominance and assurance when coming up against opposing attackers.
Carlos certainly knows what it takes to achieve European football every season having done so with Sevilla and his experience and know-how could prove telling in the closing crucial weeks of the season for Aston Villa.
His return to fitness and confidence is such massive news for Emery.
In other Aston Villa news, the club could climb into the Europa League places if they sign the Premier League midfielder that Emery is “crazy” about.