Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has delivered our latest team news ahead of facing Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Villa arrive in Belgium looking to make it four wins in four to start our Champions League campaign, while we’ve also yet to concede a single goal in Europe too.
READ MORE: How Villa could line up vs Club Brugge: Emery to make crucial change amid potential absence
As we continue to pursue direct qualification to the knockout stage, there will be no room for complacency in this encounter, and so it’s hoped that we can put a poor week domestically behind us and get back on track with an important win ahead of travelling to Anfield to face Liverpool this weekend.
While Emery had already confirmed that Ross Barkley is out until after the upcoming international break, the Villa boss provided an update on the rest of the squad ahead of matchday in Bruges.
“They aren’t with us Matty Cash and Ross Barkley, they both have small injuries,” he told the media at his pre-match press conference, as quoted by BirminghamLive.
Given Barkley has played a limited role thus far due to the competition and quality we have in midfield, Cash’s absence is slightly more problematic as it could force a reshuffle at the back again.
Emery has often preferred to shift Ezri Konsa across to right-back and bring in Diego Carlos to partner Pau Torres in the heart of our defence, and so time will tell if that’s the option he goes with.
Kosta Nedeljkovic will be desperate for another chance to impress and gives us a solution of using a natural right-back in that role to maintain our balance, while the talented 18-year-old Serbian international has made a positive impression every time he’s been involved so far this season.
In turn, it’s hoped that this is a chance for him to showcase his ability and potential to solidify his spot in the Villa XI, but it remains to be seen if Emery feels as though he’s ready to step up and fill that void.
Alternatively, Lamare Bogarde has also been used at right-back previously this season, and so that could be another possible option available to the Villa boss for this encounter.