Emiliano Buendia's Resurgence at Aston Villa
Emiliano Buendia has transformed from Aston Villa's record signing to a sidelined player due to injury for nearly a year.
In 2023, an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury halted the Argentine midfielder's promising career, leaving him struggling to regain his position in the team.
However, the 28-year-old has made a significant comeback this season, impressing manager Unai Emery by scoring three goals and providing one assist in his last four appearances.
His latest contribution, a stunning goal, came when he cut in from the wing to fire into the bottom corner, following a brilliant pass from Matty Cash, securing a 2-1 victory against Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.
“It’s really important for my confidence and to help the team,” Buendia told Sky Sports. “From the start of the season, I knew I wanted to show everyone that I can play here and help the team and club in every game.”
Despite Villa's willingness to let Buendia leave this summer, the former Norwich City player was determined to prove his value.
His resurgence comes at a crucial time for Villa, who have now achieved three consecutive wins in the Premier League after a challenging start to the season where they failed to secure a victory in their opening five matches.
“What an amazing strike from Buendia,” remarked former Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given on BBC Sport. “It was a goal worthy of winning any game. I was jumping off the sofa when it went in; it was that good.”
This time last year, Buendia was struggling for playing time and contemplating a January move to secure more minutes on the pitch.
Joining Villa in 2021 for a then club-record fee of £33 million, he played a vital role in the subsequent seasons, featuring in 73 of 76 league matches. However, the ACL injury sustained during Villa's pre-season in 2023 sidelined him for the entire 2023-24 campaign, with all 12 of his appearances last season coming as a substitute.
After signing a new contract with Villa in January, Buendia was loaned to Bayer Leverkusen for the remainder of the season, where he scored twice in 14 matches. Despite Villa's openness to his departure over the summer, he chose to stay and fight for his place in Emery's squad.
“It’s always important to work hard and push to be in the best shape for the manager. It’s crucial to fight for our place,” Buendia emphasized on Sunday.
The decision to retain him appears to be paying off, with Buendia averaging a goal involvement every 119 minutes and a goal every 158 minutes, representing his best statistics in a single season with Villa.
“We had a bad start in terms of results. We couldn’t feel comfortable enough to compete as this competition deserves,” Buendia noted. “After the [international] break, we showed a different side of the team. We demonstrated character, our football, and our philosophy.”
Following two defeats and three draws, Villa found themselves near the relegation zone after five matches—an unusual position for a team that has qualified for European competition in the past two seasons.
However, their ability to come from behind to win away from home for the first time in a year signifies a marked improvement.
“The impact of the substitutes was fantastic today,” Emery stated. “This is the team I want us to be, similar to last year, bringing positive energy. We are improving in every aspect. I feel really pleased and proud today.”
Villa has climbed to 11th in the league but faces challenging matches against Manchester City and Liverpool in the coming weeks.
“That’s a huge win for Villa,” commented former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane on Sky Sports. “To come back and recover the way they did, with the winning goal being fantastic, is commendable. The ball from Cash has to be the pass of the season—an excellent goal to win any match.”
Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp added, “Villa have gone full Harlem Globetrotters. Cash’s beautiful ball, Digne’s skill to bring it down, and Buendia’s exquisite finish into the corner made a significant difference when he came on. A fantastic goal; Villa deserved the win.”