A key statistic shows how much Unai Emery missed one of his most important Aston Villa players last season.
Aston Villa achieved a miraculous campaign by reaching the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League and qualifying for the Champions League in Unai Emery’s first full season in charge.
The Spaniard will now look to fine-tune his squad to compete across all fronts and continue to make forward strides.
As reported by The Athletic, Villa may be required to sell some of their players to invest this summer to avoid breaching Financial Fair Play rules and comply with the Premier League’s Profit & Sustainability model.
Emery has even said there won’t be a heavy focus on recruitment, with the former Arsenal boss acquiring a handful of quality talents to beef out his squad.
Supporters will be excited about the prospect of Villa attracting some of Europe’s best in the transfer market however, there is one current player who will feel like a new signing.
Aston Villa have seriously missed Boubacar Kamara
Defensive midfielder Boubacar Kamara was one of Villa’s most impressive performers in the first half of the season.
The talented Frenchman successfully anchored a midfield alongside Brazilian Douglas Luiz, with Kamara offering his teammate freedom to maraud forward and pull the strings closer to the opponent’s goal.
As a result, the dynamic duo blossomed into an incredible partnership, perhaps one of the league’s best, as Emery’s side challenged for the Premier League title early on.
Kamara’s midfield qualities were evinced by his 87% pass completion, ranking in the top 13% of midfielders across Europe, while the 24-year-old also averaged the most tackles per game in the Villa squad (2.2) and the most interceptions (1.1).
The “imperious force” at the heart of Villa’s engine room offered Emery structure in and out of possession, something that has been lost since he suffered an ACL injury in February’s loss to Manchester United.
Although Villa still qualified for the Champions League with a game to spare, perhaps they would have secured a top-four finish quicker if Kamara didn’t get injured.
According to Aston Villa Statto, Aston Villa have won just seven of their 18 matches without him in the side, compared to 13 wins in 20 games with the Frenchman playing, which broadcasts his importance.
Boubacar Kamara will be crucial in the Champions League
As expressed previously, the structure of Villa’s midfield and their ability to progress play through the thirds is somewhat lost without Kamara playing.
Not only does he offer defensive solidity and protection to a leaky defence, but his calmness in possession and capacity to keep play ticking over is so important to Emery’s system.
Kamara will have a full pre-season to recover and get back to full match sharpness before returning to a side competing in the Champions League.
Newcastle United discovered how difficult it was in Europe’s elite competition, bowing out in the group stage. However, with Kamara anchoring the Villans midfield, Emery’s men will give it to their best shot in 2024/25.
