Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans played the full 90 minutes as Belgium drew against 10-men Italy in the UEFA Nations League.
Youri Tielemans has made a fantastic start to the season for Aston Villa.
Gabby Agbonlahor hailed Tielemans as ‘outstanding’ in September’s Champions League win over Young Boys, and that was just one of many fine displays.
The 27-year-old has blossomed into a first-team regular at Villa Park and is now one of the first names on the team sheet.
Forming a brilliant partnership with international teammate Amadou Onana, Tielemans has often dictated proceedings in midfield, something he looked to emulate in Belgium’s latest fixture with Italy.
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Belgium’s media praise Aston Villa’s Youri Tielemans
Tielemans started alongside Everton star Orel Mangala in Belgium’s 2-2 draw against Italy in the Nations League.
The Aston Villa maestro attempted to control possession in the middle of the park and always looked forward with his passing.
Although he only recorded a 75% pass completion and won just one of his five attempted ground duels, the Belgium media were still pleased with the elements of his performance.
Walfoot gave Tielemans a 6/10 rating, the second highest on the pitch after Leandro Trossard and Maxim De Cuyper. They wrote: “We can’t take away from him that he tried a lot, brought forward passes and dynamism. No dangerous ball losses, and a two-hand free kick well played on 2-1. Not unworthy of his armband.”
Voetbal Primeur also gave him a 6/10 rating and said: “After Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku lost weight, some of the pressure fell on Tielemans. The man who acted as captain played a solid game without really being caught on big mistakes.”
Tielemans was one of the more senior players in the Belgian side, captaining the team in the absence of Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku while showcasing his class on the ball.
Youri Tielemans influence is growing for club and country
Since joining on a free transfer from Leicester City in the summer of 2023, Tielemans influence on the Villa side has grown over time.
At the start of last season, the 27-year-old only started four of Villa’s first 16 Premier League games before suffering a groin injury.
Tielemans returned after that setback in the second half of the campaign and used his previous hardships as fuel to star in Villa’s Champions League pursuit.
The playmaking abilities of the Belgian helped Emery’s side finish in the top four and he starred in numerous positions, namely as a deep-lying playmaker or attacking midfielder behind Ollie Watkins.
While most of last term he was used sporadically by Emery, he’s now one of the first names in the lineup and that is a credit to the skill and class he’s shown since Douglas Luiz left.
A similar narrative has also played out in Belgium, with Tielemans starting five of their last six international games while captaining them for only the third time on Thursday night.
