Inside Futbol
·4 de marzo de 2025
Unai Emery Wants Me To Bring Physical Strength Admits Aston Villa Star

Inside Futbol
·4 de marzo de 2025
Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana has revealed that he might be available for Villa’s second leg against Club Brugge next week in the Champions League and added that Unai Emery has told him to bring physicality to the pitch.
The Villa Park outfit, who are in this season’s Champions League, signed Onana from Everton in the summer transfer window and he has featured 22 times so far this season in all competitions.
Onana’s campaign has been marred due to hamstring injuries and he is currently recovering from an injury blow, which has seen him miss Premier League games against Ipswich Town, Liverpool, Chelsea and Crystal Palace.
The Aston Villa star revealed that he is feeling better every passing day however, and added that although tonight’s match against Club Brugge in the Champions League is too early for his return, there is a chance that he could be available for the second leg at Villa Park.
When asked about his recovery, Onana told Belgian daily HLN: “It’s going in the right direction.
“Last week I finished my first sessions with the ball.
“I feel better every day, but the away match against Club Brugge is still too early.
“There is already a much better chance that I will be available for the coach next week.”
Onana is of the view that he brings physicality on to the pitch, which is what Aston Villa boss Emery wants him to do.
When told that Villa have lost more games when he has not played this season, Onana, who was not aware of that particular statistic, added: “Is that so? I didn’t know that at all.
“I do bring more physical strength to our team, which is what the coach asks of me.
“But that is not the explanation anyway.”
Aston Villa have won only eight games out of 19 in all competitions this season which Onana has missed.
The midfielder will hope his team-mates can grab a good result in Belgium this evening to set things up for the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
Club Brugge have been inconsistent this season and are second in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League, nine points off leaders Genk.