Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has offered frank and clear insight into why summer signing Alejandro Garnacho is currently finding regular minutes hard to come by, admitting the winger is a bit behind his teammates following a disrupted preparation period.
The 22-year-old forward was once again left as an unused substitute for the third consecutive match, sitting out during Villa’s 3-1 Carabao Cup victory over Coventry City. Even though Emery opted to rotate his squad heavily for the third-round cup trip—making seven changes to his starting lineup and utilizing 14 total substitutes across recent fixtures—Garnacho was completely overlooked.
A Slow Start After a High-Profile Move
Since arriving at Villa Park from Chelsea on an initial loan featuring a conditional obligation worth a total package of around 42.5 million pounds, Garnacho is still searching for his first competitive start for the club. Thus far, his contributions have been limited to just 31 minutes of action spread across three substitute appearances in the Premier League.
When pressed in his post-match press conference regarding what the young winger must do to break into the starting XI, Emery emphasized the importance of hard work and patience.
“Work, work, train, work,” Emery stated. “When he can have minutes to play, try and play well. He is progressing, but we have players in front of him now.”
The Villa boss pointed out the impressive form of other squad members who have stepped up in recent outings. Players like George Hemmings, Alysson, and Ibrahim Mbaye have all seized their opportunities, responding well to Emery’s tactical demands and pushing to build a competitive team culture.
Disruptions and Road to Recovery
Garnacho’s difficult introduction to life in the West Midlands largely stems from unfortunate timing during the summer. His pre-season preparations were severely derailed after he sustained a facial injury that resulted in a concussion, ultimately forcing him to miss the high-profile Super Cup final against Paris Saint-Germain.
“Garnacho is a little bit behind, because of some circumstances we had in pre-season,” Emery explained, acknowledging the physical and tactical setback. “It is time to be patient for the time he needs.”
While Garnacho works to regain full sharpness and catch up to the tactical rhythm demanded by the coaching staff, Aston Villa’s broader squad continues to fire on all cylinders. Their latest victory over Coventry was secured thanks to a brilliant brace from Tammy Abraham alongside a goal from Ross Barkley, booking a fourth-round clash where Villa will travel to face Bournemouth.
For Garnacho, the immediate path forward involves knuckling down on the training ground and proving he can execute Emery’s philosophy when his next opportunity finally arrives.
