Aston Villa face Monaco in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, and Unai Emery has named his starting line-up for the encounter.
Villa go in search of three important points as we look to secure a top-eight finish in the league stage to directly book our spot in the next phase, and so it’s hoped that we take a big step towards achieving that objective this week.
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Emery has opted to make three changes to the side that drew with Arsenal in the Premier League last weekend, with Lucas Digne, Leon Bailey and Emiliano Buendia coming in to replace Ian Maatsen, Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey.
It’s a surprise start for Buendia in truth, as he has been limited to a bit-part role so far this season, and so the Argentine playmaker will be desperate to take his chance and make a positive impression as he looks to secure his place in the squad and Emery’s long-term plans.
Prior to our trip to Monaco, he has made just two starts so far in this campaign, and this will be his first in the Champions League for Villa as we look for more creativity and guile in the final third to unlock Monaco.
It’s a balanced Villa starting line-up though which will undoubtedly carry a threat with Buendia joined by Morgan Rogers and Leon Bailey in the attacking trident behind Ollie Watkins, and so it’s hoped that they produce a clinical performance to ensure we get the desired outcome.
In another relatively big surprise, Jhon Duran is named on the bench when he might have perhaps been expected to come in for Watkins and allow the Villa frontman to rest, but it’s a largely settled Villa XI with plenty of experience and familiarity, and so Emery will be hoping for a strong display that helps us move closer to advancing to the knockout stage.
Tonight’s Aston Villa team to face AS Monaco 👊#ASMAVL || #UpTheVilla pic.twitter.com/N9H66sol9E
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 21, 2025