Despite a lack of Premier League, Barcelona loanee, Clement Lenglet has still shone on the European Stage for Aston Villa this season.
Clement Lenglet signed for Aston Villa on loan for the season over the summer, following the saddening injury to Tyrone Mings.
Since signing for the Villans, the Frenchman has yet to start in the Premier League and has made four Europa Conference League appearances.
With that being said, it is clear that Unai Emery trusts him on the biggest stage which for Villa right now is European football.
The form of Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa this season has made it impossible for anyone to have a look in, in the Premier League.
Diego Carlos has played the occasional game as Konsa was shifted to right back, like against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.
Despite not yet being given that Premier League chance, Lenglet has shown his class in Europe this campaign.
How good has Clement Lenglet been?
He is a player who has often flown under the radar for the Villans this season given his lack of domestic minutes. With that being said, he has become a staple of fixtures on the continent to great effect.
Just taking the past two games against AZ Alkmaar as an example he was top drawer. Across the two games, Villa won 4-1 and 2-1 in well-deserved victories. To beat a team third in the Eredivisie 6-2, in total, is a great showing.
As is Emery’s style of play, playing out from the back remains a demand no matter who is playing and who the opposition is. This is where Lenglet has truly shone and impressed Villa fans when he has come in.
Taking both AZ games into account, the Frenchman took 91 and 99 touches while maintaining a 90+% pass accuracy in both games. This is a very good and high-level record to boast.
Let’s look into more depth at the tie at Villa Park in the Villans’ most recent European outing. SofaScore shows some outstanding stats for the central defender. He completed 84 passes on the night with four of those being long balls. He added to this with one tackle and one interception while not once being dribbled past.
These stats are impressive, especially the passing ones which go to show how proficient he is with his feet. He may be deserving of a Premier League start or some minutes at least, but is unclear when this will happen.
