‘Aston Villa squad harmony upset after Donyell Malen development’ – Fans furious
Aston Villa supporters have reacted furiously against Unai Emery after a decision was made regarding Donyell Malen.
Aston Villa are set to face Tottenham in the FA Cup this week, but Emery had a decision to make regarding the Champions League squad.
Only three new players were allowed to be registered, and with Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, and Axel Disasi all signing on loan, they were chosen over the Dutch forward.
Malen’s signing added pressure to Villa’s forward options, but with this decision, he will not feature in Europe for Emery.
Donyell Malen ousted by Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio
Aston Villa fans had concerns over Rashford’s signing, but he has been preferred over Malen, despite being brought in permanently.
The former Borussia Dortmund forward has yet to score for Villa, with just two Premier League appearances to his name. His last season in Germany was also underwhelming, scoring only five goals and providing one assist.
Defensive injury concerns also appear to have influenced the decision to include Axel Disasi. Aston Villa secured Disasi’s signature ahead of Tottenham, so his inclusion in the squad is no surprise.
Unai Emery criticised for Champions League decision
Despite Aston Villa’s impressive performances in Europe, the coach is not exempt from criticism from the fans.
The team currently sit eighth in the league as they push for another European spot but remain winless in their last three league matches.
The board has shown strong backing for the Spanish coach, as demonstrated by the signing of five first-team players in the winter window.
However, the decision to leave Malen out of the European squad has frustrated fans who support the new signing over others.
One fan reacted to the news, saying, “This is so poor” while another called it a “terrible decision from Emery.” Another fan argued that the move “goes against squad harmony”.