‘I think I handled it quite well’: Aston Villa forward speaks out over Champions League adversity
Aston Villa forward Donyell Malen has addressed his omission from Unai Emery’s squad for the knock-out rounds of last season’s Champions League.
Villa are in the United States as part of their pre-season preparations and Malen made his first appearance of the summer against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday evening.
The Netherlands international played on the right wing, maintaining Villa’s width while Jacob Ramsey played more tucked in on the left and Emi Buendía backed up Ollie Watkins in the middle.
Malen’s incisive wing work set up both of Villa’s goals, first for Watkins and later for Morgan Rogers, who netted a birthday goal with a deft left-footed finish.
Villa’s lack of business in the summer transfer window has pushed Malen back out into the light. As a January signing in 2024/25 he’s still in the early days of his Villa career and is set to feature more consistently this season, with Villa supporters predicting a key role.
It wasn’t exactly the perfect introduction to Villa for Malen. Emery elected to include loan players Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi in his squad for the knock-out rounds of the Champions League, leaving Malen looking in from the outside as his new team reached the quarter-finals.
Emery made a bold, even risky decision to omit a new permanent signing but Malen has been keeping his head down and will be leaned upon in the Europa League as well as the Premier League in 2025/26.
Malen is geared up for a big season
Speaking to John Townley of BirminghamLive after Villa’s first game in the United States, Malen admitted that his disappointment over the Champions League situation last term was difficult to swallow.
“A few things were difficult but I think I handled it quite well. I just tried to help the team and hopefully this season I can do the same and play more,” said Malen.
“It’s about getting a rhythm and a flow now, being on the pitch to help the team. I want to get involved in goals and assists, and also get results.
“[Emery] doesn’t need to motivate me. We talk about football and how I can improve and help the team, but he doesn’t need to motivate me.”
I like what I’ve seen from Malen so far. The 26-year-old signed for Villa from Borussia Dortmund with a reputation as a formidable talent but also with his best years ahead of him and a point to prove.
With one major obstacle thrown into his path almost before he’d unpacked his bags, his response has been impressive and unwaveringly professional.
Often, players who’ve been backed by their managers and selected for big games talk about repaying the faith shown in them.
If Malen is able to make a telling contribution in 2025/26, Villa should be talking about repaying his patience and maturity. It’s his job to deal with this things but lots of players in his position in the modern game would have responded very differently.
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