Kenny: Aston Villa have already admitted defeat against Chelsea amid Mings social media reveal
Aston Villa may have already admitted defeat against Chelsea by allowing Emi Martinez and Emi Buendia away on international duty.
So says ex-Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after Villa confirmed the decision on 29 August.
The club has defied Premier League rules to allow their players to travel to Covid-19 red-listed Argentina and join up with the national side.
They will be required to quarantine for 10 days when they return to the UK, and that means they will miss the clash with Chelsea on 11 September.
Villa skipper Tyrone Mings later tweeted to call the club’s decision a “perfectly reasonable” compromise.
Kenny recognises the difficult position the players find themselves in but also highlights the potential impact of their absence on the pitch.
He told Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams: “It’s a tough one because no player wants to miss playing for their country.
“That’s the pinnacle of their careers. But the club pays your wages, that’s your bread and butter.
“You’re going to miss games and it could cost your team league positions and money. Me personally, I think they will regret this.
“There are two big players there who are going to miss out against Chelsea.
“Maybe they are looking at this fixture thinking it’s one they’ve lost anyway. They might think it isn’t the end of the world losing that one.
“It’s a difficult one with everything that’s going on, it’s hard to say what’s right and what’s wrong. But your club football is your main concern.”
In other news, in other news, overseas club agree to sign Aston Villa defender.