Unai Emery on Leon Goretzka Injury and Aston Villa's Champions League Challenge
Unai Emery, the manager of Aston Villa, is dealing with a tough selection problem as his team prepares for a crucial Champions League match against Club Brugge. The Premier League club will miss Leon Goretzka, who remains sidelined due to injury, weakening their midfield options significantly.
Goretzka's Injury Impact
Emery admitted that Goretzka’s absence presents a big challenge. The German midfielder, who joined Villa Park on a free transfer after a successful spell at Bayern Munich, was expected to bring experience to a midfield undergoing major changes this summer. Unfortunately, a reaction to increased training intensity has kept the 31-year-old from making his debut, forcing the coaching staff to find other solutions during a tough start to the domestic season.
"Goretzka’s issue is a bit frustrating, but we have players who can replace him. When he’s coming back, hopefully he can get the consistency in training and playing and we can add his experience. He is a player who will help us in different competitions with the level he has," Emery said ahead of the European game.
Player Update on Social Media
Goretzka himself shared an update on social media, explaining the delay to fans eager to see him play. He revealed his body struggled to adapt to the demands of Villa’s training after limited match time towards the end of his time in Germany. The setback is expected to last about a month, meaning he won’t return until after the mid-September international break.
"Unfortunately, my body has reacted to the increased workload after my time away from the pitch. It’s frustrating, but I need this short break now to come back at full strength. I’ll use the coming days, including the international break, to recover fully," Goretzka said.
Champions League Offers New Hope
Aston Villa started the 2026-27 season poorly with just one draw and two defeats in their opening three Premier League matches, a stark contrast to last season's high spirits. Emery pointed out signs of progress despite the results and stressed the importance of the upcoming European test.
"I think the last match…we showed, collectively, some improvements. We started (with) the Premier League as our objective at the end of the season, and we are progressing. Still not enough, because we are not getting good results, but tomorrow is a new test, and a new test in Europe," Emery noted.
He added pride in qualifying for the Champions League and acknowledged the challenge ahead.
"To be here in Champions League is something fantastic, and how we achieved it we can continue feeling proud of how we did, through finishing fourth in the league and winning in Europe. But it’s a new chapter, and completely different. When we started the project here, the vision we had was in our highest expectation, even maybe was not to be in Europe four years in a row, with two in the Champions League."
Difficult Trip to Bruges
The journey to Belgium is far from simple. Villa aim to erase memories of a 1-0 loss to Club Brugge in the 2024 Champions League meeting. Emery must cope without Goretzka and the injured Johan Manzambi but welcomes back Joao Gomes, who returns from suspension.
Club Brugge enter the match in excellent form, having won four of their first five domestic games this season.
- Competition: Champions League
- Fixture: Club Brugge vs Aston Villa
- Date: 8 September 2026
- Time: 18:45
