UNAI EMERY celebrated his 55th birthday but his team handed a gift to the wrong person.
Because one of the worst things a player can do in world football, particularly inside their own area, is to pass the ball square to Lamine Yamal.
Yet after just seven minutes, Joao Gomes panicked and did exactly that. He gifted the ball to the teenager with stardust in his boots and we all knew what the outcome was going to be.
On a miserable night in Barcelona, with Villa’s fans getting drenched, their team still gave a decent account of themselves although they were undone with second half goals from Raphinha.
Newcastle fell to pieces in a 7-2 loss here eight months ago but Villa are made of much stronger stuff.
So to be disappointed with a three-goal loss against the La Liga champions shows you exactly the progress Aston Villa are making under Emery.
They are an excellent team and remain in a brilliant Champions League position, something Villa fans could not have dreamed of a few years ago.
With three wins, they still look certain to reach the play-offs but they could still finish in the top eight to earn that automatic pass into the last 16.
Although he did not have to click into top gear, Yamal, despite taking a knock from Emi Buendia, was a joy to watch. It is now 14 goals in the Champions League for Yamal, the most ever scored by a teenager, as he is now one ahead of Kylian Mbappe.
And he might have been beaten to the Ballon d’Or by Harry Kane the previous week but Yama is going to win the award on a few occasions.
He gave Villa right-back Ian Maatsen a difficult night, including the odd nutmeg which is never a great look for a defender.
And we will once again see the Spanish close up on November 15 when England visit the Metropolitano in Madrid in the Nations League. – Sun
