Aston Villa dealt devastating blow as injury expert shares Emi Buendia verdict
Unai Emery tactically outsmarted Pep Guardiola for the third year running on Sunday, October 26, as Aston Villa secured a huge victory over Manchester City.
Aston Villa’s 1-0 win over Man City, thanks to another long-range Matty Cash strike, saw Emery’s men move up to eighth in the Premier League.
The Villans have recovered from their disappointing start to the campaign with four straight league wins, and are now bearing down on the European places.
Danny Murphy praised Emery for how he exploited Guardiola tactically, including the Spaniard’s decision to play Tijjani Reijnders as a number six.
However, for all of the positives from their win at Villa Park, supporters were left saddened by the injury to Emi Buendia.
How long Emi Buendia could be sidelined for
Following his failed loan at Bayer Leverkusen in the 2024/25 season, many felt Buendia’s days were numbered in B6, but the Argentine has experienced a renaissance.
Buendia was hailed for his goal during Aston Villa’s 2-1 win over Tottenham last weekend, and continued to impress against Man City.
The 28-year-old provided the assist for Cash’s first-half goal and made a strong start to the game; however, he was forced off the pitch in the 29th minute after suffering a foot injury.
After the game, Buendia was even pictured on crutches, sparking fears that he could experience another long time on the sidelines.
Emiliano Buendia had to come off for Aston Villa in their clash vs. Man City after suffering a foot injury.
— Physio Scout | Football Injury Analysis (@physioscout) October 27, 2025
Innocuous injury mechanism after a tussle with Matheus Nunes. He was seen with crutches and a boot after the game.
Not much via the video, but palpated area brings… pic.twitter.com/CimthojVME
Physio Scout on X feels the Aston Villa playmaker would be ‘lucky’ to avoid several weeks away from football while revealing his potential recovery times.
If Buendia has fractured his foot, he could face between six and 12 weeks out, whereas ligament damage could put him out for up to five months.
Buendia key to recent Aston Villa rise
Emery is a huge fan of individuals who can operate across multiple positions, making Buendia an ideal player to have in his squad.
The Argentine playmaker can play anywhere behind the striker, including on both flanks, and he’s made an incredible impact in recent weeks.
| Emi Buendia’s 2025/26 stats |
| 8 games |
| 2 goals |
| 2 assists |
| 1.5 shots per game |
| 17% goal conversion |
| 82% accurate passes |
| 2.5 balls recovered per game |
| 1.5 tackles per game |
Including the winner against Spurs and the assist in the win over City, Buendia has four goal involvements in eight matches this term.
Hardly anyone would have expected that return from him at this stage of the campaign, and it demonstrates why he will be missed in the coming weeks, or potentially, months.