Emiliano Buendia stat reveals he’s perfect for Aston Villa
Aston Villa may be having a number of technical players in their ranks but Unai Emery certainly appreciates those willing to do the dirty work.
Every successful side has one of those unsung heroes that go under the radar, usually for their work off the ball and Emiliano Buendia, 26, is that for Villa.
Not viewed as one of the first names on the team sheet and also not one particularly highly-rated among the fanbase, the Argentine does something none of his teammates, or anyone else in the Premier League does as well.
Labelling him “Master of the dark arts,” Opta revealed a stat on 30 May that showed he’s made 43 fouls throughout the Premier League season without getting booked even once.
This is the best compared to every player that featured in the English top flight with the next best being Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma.
The Japanese attacker made 29 fouls without being cautioned – 14 fewer than Bundia – who’s proved his worth to Emery this past season.
Apart from that, the 26-year-old is one of a select few outfielders to have featured in all 38 Premier League games. [Transfermarkt]
He’s also chipped in with seven goals + assists – contributing to 14 per cent of the club’s offensive output, so it’s not just work he puts in off the ball.
At 26, he’s arguably in his prime and Emery will certainly be appreciating the fact he’s got an impeccable fitness record.
He’s also made the starting eleven 71 per cent of the time so he’s someone highly rated by the Spaniard and hopefully, this continues in the upcoming season as well.
Currently, Buendia’s contract runs out until the summer of 2026 so there’s no immediate reason to get him to agree on fresh terms.
The fact that he’ll be part of Villa’s first European campaign in years should be exciting enough so there shouldn’t be any reason for fans to think that he may leave this summer.
It remains to be seen that with new faces being brought in if Emery still uses Buendia as much as he has in the 2022/23 campaign but there is a feeling that he’ll find a way to accommodate him into time given the fact that he offers something nobody else can.
In other Aston Villa news, a Villa sensation could miss up to nine months of action and faces the threat of a potential ACL tear as well.