Aston Villa star likened to Gareth Bale and Douglas Luiz after what he did vs Bournemouth
Aston Villa returned to Premier League action against Bournemouth on Sunday (November 9), and one player earned huge praise for the part he played.
Aston Villa had ambitions of pushing further up the table during their clash with Bournemouth after losing 2-0 to Liverpool last weekend.
In midweek, Villa were 2-0 victors over Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League and wanted to use that win as momentum heading into a busy period.
Their attempts to do so got off to a brilliant start when Emi Buendia gave his side a lead with a wonderful goal.
Emi Buendia compared to Gareth Bale after wonderful free kick
Unai Emery’s men took the lead against the Cherries in the 28th minute as Buendia’s knuckleball dipped over the wall and flew past Dorde Petrovic.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Wolves midfielder Dave Edwards compared the Argentine to Gareth Bale and Douglas Luiz.
“A stunning free kick from Emi Beundia,” Edwards said. “It is so close, so hard to get up and over the wall. He almost knuckles it, Gareth Bale or David Luiz-esque.”
That’s high praise for Buendia, who was hailed last month for finishing off Villa’s incredible move during their win over Tottenham.
Buendia suffered an injury against Manchester City after hitting form and returned to the starting lineup for the first time at home to Bournemouth, repaying Emery’s faith with a fine strike.
Buendia is key to Aston Villa’s European hopes
Villa built on Buendia’s goal as teammate Amadou Onana doubled their lead in the first half and sent them on their way to a crucial three points.
The victory propelled Emery’s side onto the same number of points as Bournemouth and only one point shy of the Champions League spots.
It’s remarkable that Buendia is playing a vital part in this Villa squad, as he almost left in the summer and is now crucial to their chances this season.
Combining skill, flair and quality in the final third, the 28-year-old has made an incredible comeback in 2025/26 and it’s great to see after watching him suffer for a long time with injuries.
Hopefully, he can continue to avoid any bad luck and fire his side to glory come May.