Aston Villa are preparing to face Ajax in the first leg of their UEFA Conference Leage round of 16 tie.
The Villans head to Amsterdam on Thursday with Diego Carlos and Jhon Duran back in contention after both players returned to training.
Carlos has missed the past couple of weeks after sustaining a hamstring injury during training. Ezri Konsa has also returned to Unai Emery’s plans after missing four matches with a sprained knee.
As a busy part of the season approaches, the Villa boss could be looking to rotate his squad ahead of the trip to Holland, particularly with a huge Premier League clash against Tottenham on Sunday.
Aston Villa defensive reshuffle
One player who has been part of Villa’s impressive form is Clement Lenglet. The Barcelona loanee has started every single game in 2024 after being linked with a move away from Villa Park during the January window.
There has even been talk in Spain of the Villa boss looking to pursue a permanent move for the 28-year-old defender.
Lenglet’s teammates have even praised his performances. Matty Cash lauded the Frenchman as “brilliant” after Villa’s 2-1 away win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.
However, as previously mentioned, looking to rotate could be an intelligent move. The return of Carlos and Konsa gives Emery options to utilise.
Lenglet potentially deserves a rest after starting ten matches in a row since the turn of the new year.
Looking to rotate and deploy two of Carlos, Konsa and Pau Torres in a back four on Thursday could be an option.
After Lenglet’s break into the starting XI, Emery said: “He is a very good professional, and we have been working with him every day, trying to understand our style. He was even coming in when the players had a day off to do extra work.
“I am speaking with Lenglet and sending him a message that I am very happy with him. I need him, the team needs him now.”
After an excellent couple of months, the Frenchman has emerged as one of Villa’s key defensive figures.
Failing to rotate and give players a rest could be a significant blow to Villa’s Champions League and Conference League hopes.
Given Emery’s immense experience, he is the best set of hands to steer the Villans through a potentially busy fixture schedule and alter the starting XI if he believes it’s required.
