Unai Emery Supports Rashford And Asensio For Aston Villa's Champions League Success

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Unai Emery is optimistic about the impact Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford can have as Aston Villa aims for a successful Champions League campaign. The club secured these players on loan from Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, respectively, during the winter transfer window. Their collaboration has been fruitful, with Rashford assisting Asensio three times. Asensio has netted four goals, while Rashford leads in creating big chances since February.

Villa faces Club Brugge in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie on Tuesday. Emery believes Rashford and Asensio will significantly influence the match. "We added players with experience in Europe and in this competition," Emery stated. "Usually, they are players playing at the highest level who can help us a lot." He emphasised that success would come from collective effort rather than relying solely on individual talent.

Emery had to exclude January signings Andres Garcia and Donyell Malen from his Champions League squad. However, he welcomes back defender Pau Torres, who returns from a metatarsal fracture sustained during a 2-2 draw with Brighton in December. Torres is ready to contribute just in time for the match against Brugge.

Other returning players include defenders Tyrone Mings and Matty Cash, who missed Villa's recent FA Cup victory over Cardiff City. Midfielder Boubacar Kamara, recovering from a thigh injury last month, is also fit to play. "Torres, Mings and Matty Cash are in the squad," Emery confirmed on Monday. Kamara was part of Friday's squad and might play some minutes tomorrow.

Villa previously lost to Brugge earlier this season, but Emery anticipates a stronger performance this time. "We played here in November and we're now in March," he said. "Hopefully we can do better now." Emery acknowledged that the team wasn't competing at their best during their last encounter with Brugge but expects improvement.

The manager highlighted the importance of motivation and emotional balance for achieving good football results against Brugge. "The next step is tomorrow," he noted, stressing the need for excitement and balanced emotions to play well.

Aston Villa's strategy involves building a strong team structure where individual skills can shine through effectively. This approach aims to maximise both collective strength and individual talents for success in upcoming matches.