‘Aston Villa’s Champions League hopes crushed as Unai Emery handed major blow’
Unai Emery’s chances of getting Aston Villa back into the Champions League might have just vanished before his eyes.
The Villans are currently sitting seventh in the Premier League table, three points behind fifth place with three matches remaining against Bournemouth, Tottenham, and Man United.
The latter two certainly look like easier fixtures, especially with both competing in the Europa League, but Andoni Iraola‘s Bournemouth should not be overlooked despite their recent form.
Indeed, the Cherries have only won two of their last 12 matches across all competitions, but they are unbeaten in their last five games, including a massive 2-1 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Stefan Borson told Football Insider that Villa missing out on the Champions League could see the club miss out on £50million in terms of revenue, which is a huge blow when factoring in PSR.
Therefore, Villa cannot head to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, 10 May, with the idea that all three points are guaranteed, especially after Emery was handed yet another blow at Villa Park.
Aston Villa to miss out on top-five Premier League finish
Villa are already without loanee Marcus Rashford, who is trying absolutely everything to regain fitness for the Spurs clash and possibly even earn a move to Villa Park ahead of the summer transfer window.
The England international has racked up nine goal contributions in 17 matches since arriving from Man United, but with multiple talented attackers in the squad, his injury has not been massively felt.
However, a brand-new injury blow has left supporters worried that Villa could miss out on the Champions League after reaching the quarter-finals this term, with Youri Tielemans possibly missing the rest of the campaign.
According to The Athletic (8 May), the Belgian could miss the last three matches after sustaining a muscle injury, with his chances of featuring at Old Trafford in the final game seen as remote.
Youri Tielemans delivers mighty hammer blow at Villa Park
The 28-year-old’s absence is likely to be an even bigger blow than many imagine, with Emery normally replacing the midfielder with Ross Barkley as a late substitute in Premier League matches.
In the Premier League, as per FotMob, Tielemans ranks first for chances created, third for goal contributions, and boasts the highest overall rating for the campaign.
| Youri Tielemans’ 2024/25 Premier League campaign | Stats, as per FotMob |
| Minutes played | 3004 |
| Goals / Assists | 10 |
| Chances created | 60 |
| Dribble success | 63.3% |
| Duels won | 192 |
| Recoveries | 145 |
There is nobody at Villa Park who even comes close to his playmaker abilities, though Marco Asensio has made an incredible impact on the Villa squad since his temporary arrival from PSG.
His long-range passing, line-splitting runs through the middle of the park, his outrageous shooting accuracy, and captaincy characteristics will also be missing for the final few matches of the season.
With two huge players now missing, Villa’s chances of qualifying for the elite European competition now look dead in the water, and Tielemans will have to watch on from the sidelines.