Pau Torres, an Aston Villa defender, left the game early in the 0-0 draw away at Ajax, but Unai Emery has informed us that it was planned for the Spaniard to gradually regain match sharpness.
Villa supporters were a little alarmed when Pau was replaced at halftime at Johan Cruyff Arena, but the £32 million summer acquisition is all right. Pau was never going to play the whole ninety minutes in Amsterdam; it all hinged on how the game played out.
“Pau Torres was on the bench for the most recent Luton game due to a minor injury he sustained two weeks ago. We worked on a plan with him,” Emery disclosed at the news conference following the game.
Naturally, there is never 100% certainty in the plan prior to a game, but even in that case, I believe we needed to make some tactical adjustments. We carried out the strategy, which was essentially to play 45 minutes with Pau Torres,” Emery said.
Supporters will be relieved to hear this news because Villa has struggled with injuries this season, with Pau contributing to the suffering on two or three times. The fact that almost every player of the backline has had some sort of injury has made defence exceptionally difficult and limited Emery’s tactical choices.
When the Villans return to the Premier League on Sunday for a crucial six-pointer against Tottenham Hotspur, Pau is anticipated to start. Emery’s team may close the deficit with Spurs in
A win would move Villa a huge step closer to UEFA Champions League qualification.
