Youri Tielemans could miss the rest of the season after suffering a muscle injury, dealing a significant blow to Aston Villa’s push for Champions League qualification.
The Belgium international, who has Congolese roots, has been one of Villa’s standout performers this season.
The 28-year-old is yet to miss a Premier League match in the current campaign and has been a key figure in Unai Emery’s midfield, making 52 starts out of a possible 54 matches across all competitions, scoring five goals and providing 10 assists.
There remains a slim chance he could recover in time to feature in Villa’s final league game at Old Trafford against Manchester United on May 25, but this is considered unlikely.
Villa’s final three fixtures include challenging encounters against Bournemouth, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United, with the club sitting just three points behind Chelsea in the race for the Premier League’s final Champions League spot.
Tielemans’ absence comes at a critical juncture for Villa. He has been the club’s most influential player this season, leading the squad in passes, progressive passes, and tackles, while also ranking second in assists.
His ability to control the tempo of matches and link midfield with attack has been crucial to Villa’s success.
The former Leicester City star, who faced doubts over his athleticism last season, has transformed into a more dynamic and mobile presence under Emery’s guidance, becoming the first Villa player to start more than 50 games in a season since Alan Wright and Mark Bosnich in 1995-96.
Villa’s midfield will now rely heavily on club record signing Amadou Onana, who is expected to partner Boubacar Kamara as the club seeks to maintain its Champions League ambitions.
