Unai Emery set for unwanted issue as international manager shares update on Aston Villa ace
Unai Emery’s side have suffered costly injuries so far this season.
Youri Tielemans and Ross Barkley have been absent since the September international break through injury, with Villa’s midfield taking a hit.
However, Lamare Bogarde has stepped up for Aston Villa and has impressed alongside captain John McGinn in the middle of the park.
Amadou Onana has been sidelined for much of the season through a hamstring injury, but has still been called up to represent Belgium in the October international break.
Amadou Onana set to play for Belgium
Emery has been unable to select Jadon Sancho due to illness, with Villa’s injury list starting to pile up.
Onana is also set to be unavailable against Burnley at the weekend, with Emery to choose between Boubacar Kamara and Bogarde in midfield.
According to Belgian outlet Walfoot, the Villans would have liked to keep him for the break. But the consultation between the two medical staff and the player’s progress led to his selection.
Belgium’s international manager, Rudi Garcia, also explained the decision to call him up in a press conference ahead of the international break.
- Onana has missed 49 days through hamstring injuries since joining Villa from Everton last summer
- The midfielder has missed a total of 121 days through injury in that period
- He missed 19 games last season, and has missed six so far this season
“He trained normally today. He should also take part in this weekend’s match. We will be able to evaluate him and get him back into shape, given his lack of playing time at Aston Villa,” explained Garcia.
Emery will be concerned about one of his key midfielders going away on international duty and potentially playing costly minutes in his road to recovery.
Given that it is a recurring hamstring problem, there is a growing concern that it might worsen and become a problem in the future.
- Read more: Aston Villa must be grateful, Tom Wagner has embarrassed entire Birmingham City fanbase in one clip
How has Amadou Onana faired at Aston Villa?
The international break could have allowed Villa to give Onana a couple of weeks off and eased him back into action.
Instead, they will have their fingers crossed that the midfielder comes back without any further injuries, with the Belgium international having shown his quality in claret and blue.
When he was fit, Onana was a regular in the Villa squad last season, playing 34 games.
He averaged 0.5 shots per game and completed 30.7 passes on average per 90 minutes, with an 88 per cent pass accuracy.
In comparison, McGinn averaged just 23.2 passes per 90 last season, with his Belgian counterpart averaging 4.17 progressive passes compared to his 4.07.
Onana adds a more attacking focus to Aston Villa’s midfield, and his absence so far this season may have added to their slow start in front of goal.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Aston Villa news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @villanews247