Aston Villa handed major Youri Tielemans injury boost ahead of Maccabi Tel Aviv clash
Aston Villa return to Europa League action against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday.
No Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will be present at Villa Park, with Unai Emery’s side looking to bounce back from the 2-1 defeat to Go Ahead Eagles in their last Europa League match.
Sitting 11th in the Premier League, Emery’s side are paying for their poor start to the season, yet they have an excellent chance to secure Champions League football through the Europa League.
Youri Tielemans has now returned to first-team training after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, and fans will be thrilled that their star midfielder can finally play a part again.
Youri Tielemans returns to first-team training
Tielemans has been out with a calf injury after coming off in the 0-0 draw to Everton, missing a total of 10 games in all competitions.
He was scheduled to come back in mid-October, yet suffered another setback.
Birmingham Live reporter and Aston Villa correspondent John Townley has now shared that Tielemans is finally back in first-team training.
Whilst the Tel Aviv match may come too soon for him to be in the starting line-up, there is now hope he could feature from the bench, and is definitely in contention to start against Bournemouth on Sunday.
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2023-24 | 46 | 3 | 7 |
| 2024-25 | 53 | 5 | 10 |
| 2025-26 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Tielemans has been an incredible signing for Villa since joining from Leicester in 2023, and has appeared in 103 matches under Emery.
In the Premier League last season, Tielemans registered a pass accuracy of 86 per cent, whilst winning 58.1 per cent of his duels.
His versatility at the base of midfield was also incredibly beneficial, making 84 tackles, whilst creating 61 chances.
The 28-year-old possesses quality on the ball that is irreplaceable in the midfield, and his return to the starting line-up will be a huge bonus for everyone involved at Villa.
That’s not to mention his ability to score stunning long-range goals, a part of his game that very few have mastered better than him.
Aston Villa are favourites to win the Europa League, and Tielemans returning will give them some much-needed depth in midfield.
Youri Tielemans’ return can spur Aston Villa to Europa League glory
Having already secured wins over Bologna and Feyenoord, Aston Villa are showing intent to win the Europa League under Emery.
Emery is a specialist in this competition, winning the trophy four times with Sevilla and Villarreal.
Tielemans has already proven his worth in cup competitions, winning the FA Cup with Leicester in 2021 and playing a big part in helping Villa get to the Champions League quarter-finals in 2025.
His presence in the squad is vital to how Villa build up play from defence, and with games coming every three days at the moment, it’s imperative that he maintains his fitness ahead of the busy Christmas period.
If he does so, then Villa have all the tools in place to secure a historic trophy.
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