On Monday evening, Aston Villa duo Lucas Digne and Youri Tielemans lined up against each other for their respective nations.
Belgium haven’t beaten the French in an official match in 43 years, so it shouldn’t be surprising that Didier Deschamps’ side ran out as 2-1 winners in their UEFA Nations League encounter.
Tielemans donned the captain’s armband for his country, whilst his Aston Villa teammate at the other end was brought back into the XI after being benched for the last game.
In the overall picture of the match, whilst France claimed the three points, they probably didn’t deserve it, especially given that Tielemans had a moment to forget in the first half.
On the domestic stage, it could be argued that Tielemans has been Villa’s best player this term, you could even argue that Digne is second in that list.
They have been outstanding under Unai Emery and are a key reason why Villa are in the Champions League, but have also only lost one match in all competitions this term.
But Tielemans would have had that sinking feeling he hasn’t experienced much of late when he skied his penalty in the first half when the scores were still 0-0. It was a howler from the dead-ball specialist!
Youri Tielemans handed a 6.45 rating after missing a penalty for Belgium against France
WhoScored provided Tielemans with a rating of just under seven during his 80 minutes on the pitch, including taking into account that missed pen.
The Aston Villa technician created five key passes during the game, more than any of his teammates, including having 46 touches of the ball.
Tielemans also made one interception and three clearances during the game, whilst attempting 11 crosses, two of which were accurate.
Lucas Digne handed a 7.66 rating as France beat Belgium
Despite being booked inside ten minutes for fouling Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku, Digne remained disciplined for the rest of the match and played the entire game.
The 31-year-old made two key passes during the match – none of his teammates made more – including the assist for France’s winning goal.
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In typical Digne fashion, it was a lovely weighted cross that was headed home by Randal Kolo Muani, with the left-back making four tackles, two interceptions and three clearances, according to WhoScored.
Just like Tielemans, Digne also attempted 11 crosses, but he got his perfectly right which led to the winning goal.
