Former Belgium international Philippe Albert believes Youri Tielemans is not part of Unai Emery’s plans at Aston Villa.
Tielemans has recently received criticism after opening up about the lack of playing time at Villa. He described it as a “not pleasant” situation after starting just one game this season.
“The situation is not pleasant,” Tielemans said. “I told the manager that I came to Villa to play. He understands me, but at the moment, he prefers to play with the two midfielders from last season.
“He told me that soon, there will be a succession of games and I’ll get more playing time. I know that answer doesn’t help me move forward, but what should I do? Whenever I have an opportunity, I want to take it. So far, I have started once, in the Conference League.”
by TaboolaSponsored LinksYou May Like
Albert meanwhile, has jumped to the aid of the 26-year-old after Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco also defended the midfielder. He believes Tielemans’ “undeniable qualities” should see him play game after game.
“If he plays a step higher, offensively, he will have to run less and with his shooting, he could cause damage,” he told Belgian outlet RTBF. “He has undeniable qualities. He simply needs to play one match after another.
“His lack of minutes is glaring. You can feel it. He’s not part of Unai Emery’s plans at Aston Villa, and training will never replace the tempo of a real match.”