Aston Villa ace Emiliano Buendia has opened up about how much he is enjoying his time at the club, the fans and the influence of Unai Emery.
The 26-year-old has benefited significantly from the arrival of the Spanish tactician, as after struggling to cement his place in the starting line-up prior to his appointment, he has established himself as a fundamental figure in his plans thus far.
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An ever-present in the side in the Premier League in Emery’s eight games thus far, Buendia has also scored two goals in his last five league outings and was so unfortunate not to add to that tally last Saturday after hitting the woodwork twice against Leicester City.
Not only does he look like he’s enjoying his football and the influential role he has in the current side, but Buendia has revealed that he is loving the support he receives from the fans and the impact Emery’s arrival has had for him.
“I’ve been here for a year and a half already and I really enjoy living here and playing for this amazing club,” he told Villa TV. “I really feel a love for the fans. When they sing my song, it’s quite emotional for me. It means a lot.
“I’m very happy and I want to give back to them through my football and with good results to help the team and the club.
“As soon as he (Emery) came, we had a good meeting and I understood everything that he asked of me,” he added on the Villa boss. “I think his ideas are perfect for my game. I really enjoy every game. I’m confident and I’m working as hard as possible to be in my best shape to help the team.”
Buendia produced an excellent display last time out, and while the result ultimately overshadowed any positives, his form and growing influence on our attacking play has been a key positive.
He has acknowledged himself in recent months that he does need to improve his goal involvement numbers, but given what we’ve seen so far under Emery and the way he has adapted to his demands and tactical ideas thus far, it’s hoped that Buendia continues to flourish and becomes a decisive figure for us on a more consistent basis.
With his technical quality, vision and creativity, coupled with a strong work ethic and desire, he ticks a lot of the right boxes for Villa fans and Emery with what he does on and off the ball, and we’ll hopefully see him take his game to another level in the coming months.