Aston Villa have confirmed that Emiliano Buendia has suffered a significant knee ligament injury and will now seek further consultation with a knee specialist.
It’s a devastating blow on the eve of the new Premier League campaign, as the 26-year-old was again set to play a pivotal role for Unai Emery this season.
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However, as confirmed by the club, the Argentine playmaker sustained the injury in training on Wednesday, and after undergoing a scan, he will now be kept under review until a further consultation with a knee specialist.
Given that it has been confirmed that it’s knee ligament damage, the expectation is that Buendia will miss a significant amount of the season now, but we’ll wait to hear from Emery in his press conference this week to be given a possible recovery timeline.
Buendia was a key figure for the Villa boss after his arrival last November, as he established himself as an ever-present in our starting XI and was a crucial presence in both phases of the game.
Having also impressed in pre-season this summer, it’s a bitter blow for him as he’ll now miss what has the potential to be a big year for Villa, and it’s just hoped that he can make a speedy and full recovery to still be able to play some part in the campaign.
He’ll undoubtedly get the support of his teammates and the staff at Villa during his rehabilitation, but it continues our horrible luck with long-term injuries in recent times, while he’ll now join the likes of Alex Moreno and Jacob Ramsey in the treatment room.
Time will tell how Emery fills that void in the short-term with our clash against Newcastle Utd now just two days away, as it’s likely that Leon Bailey could step into the Villa XI.
Looking further ahead, if Buendia is set to miss the majority of the campaign, that could push Villa into making a move in the transfer market, with Fabrizio Romano reporting this morning that we’re stepping up our pursuit of Nicolo Zaniolo.
Time will tell if that’s a reaction from the club to Buendia’s setback or if that was in the works already, while it also remains to be seen if we can get that deal over the line and do our best to cover his absence until he’s ready to return.
Either way, whether we sign a new player or not, we’re absolutely gutted for Buendia having suffered such an injury just days before the new season, and we wish him the very best in his recovery.
