Aston Villa are preparing for a busy month of critical fixtures in March, giving Moussa Diaby the chance to rediscover his form at a crucial part of the season.
Aston Villa are set for a potentially season-defining month of fixtures in March, as Unai Emery’s side prepare to battle in both the Premier League and Europa Conference League.
The Villans are currently leading the race for a fourth-place finish, a position that would grant the squad a spot in next season’s Champions League, making the 12 fixtures that remain in the league season crucial to their aims for next term.
The tasks ahead could play a huge role in determining where Villa will end the season in the table and if European silverware is a possibility, with the bustling schedule set to test the limits of the squad.
The challenges that Aston Villa face in March
March presents Villa with six games, two of which being the home and away ties against Ajax in the Europa Conference League.
In the Premier League, Villa will come up against Luton Town, Spurs, West Ham and Wolves in four difficult matches, with their European exploits coming between their duels with London opposition.
Villa will travel to Amsterdam to battle Ajax on Thursday 7th, giving them three days to recover and prepare for their must-win game against Spurs, who are narrowly behind in the race for fourth.
Four days later comes the second leg against Ajax at Villa Park which is set to be an emphatic night in Birmingham, with West Ham away set to be played three days after.
Considering that the squad will face a lot of travel and little time between games during the crucial period, Emery will be likely to rotate his squad at times, giving Moussa Diaby the chance to show his worth once more.
Why March could be crucial for Moussa Diaby
Despite starting the 2023/24 calendar in searing form, Villa’s record-signing has suffered a dip in form of late.
The Frenchman has scored one goal in his previous 16 Premier League appearances for the Villans, form that has seen him drop down the pecking order and limit his game time.
Due to the rise in performance of Youri Tielemans and Leon Bailey, it will be a difficult route back into the side for the 24-year-old, who has started the last four league fixtures on the bench.
The situation isn’t getting any better for the £51.9m acquisition, who has secured just 10 minutes of football over the last two games in the league for Villa.
Once lauded as an “elite athlete” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, everyone is well aware of the talent that Diaby possesses, with his dip in form only temporary, however, a solution could be near.
Considering the pile-up of Villa’s fixtures in March, Emery could hand the dynamic forward some minutes to prove himself and rediscover his form, at a time that is critical to both player and club.
Despite his dip in performance, Diaby has something that could be pivotal to Villa in his locker, experience in playing in Europe, having played in both the Champions League and Europa League during his time at both Bayer Leverkusen and PSG.
Only time will tell if the 24-year-old can both secure game time and grasp the opportunity, with many hoping that the club’s record-signing can revive his season in the coming weeks.
