Aston Villa team news vs Columbus Crew as Emi Buendia returns Aston Villa take on Columbus Crew at the Lower.com Field this evening 00:17, 28 Jul 2024 Updated 00:42, 28 Jul 2024
Emi Buendia has been named on the bench for the friendly against Columbus Crew (Image: Photo by Mateo Villalba/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images) Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has named his starting XI to face Columbus Crew for the club's first pre-season friendly in the USA.
Cameron Archer leads the line with Morgan Rogers in support, as Leon Bailey plays on the right and Samuel Iling-Junior on the left. Summer arrivals Ross Barkley and Enzo Barrenechea play in the double pivot as Kosta Nedeljkovic and Alex Moreno play as the full-backs either side of centre-backs Pau Torres and Josh Feeney. Joe Gauci starts in goal.
Emi Buendia has been named among the substitutes for the first time in nearly a year after suffering an ACL injury two days before Villa started their 2023/24 campaign at Newcastle United. New signings Amadou Onana, Jaden Philogene and Ian Maatsen are also on the bench.
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Like last year, Villa based themselves in Washington for a short training camp before jetting over to Ohio. Managed by Wilfried Nancy, The Crew are currently third in the Eastern Conference after 23 games.
After winning only three of their first 11 MLS matches this season, they've claimed victory in nine of their last 12 games, but are without a win in two having lost to Atlanta United last time out.
Villa XI: Gauci, Nedeljkovic, Feeney, Pau, Moreno, Barrenechea, Barkley, Iling-Jr, Rogers, Archer, Bailey.
Subs: Zych, Wright, Cash, Carlos, Buendia, Digne, Philogene, Maatsen, Dobbin, Onana, Kelser-Hayden, Dendoncker, Bogarde.
Crew XI: Hagen, Sands, Camacho, Nagbe, Cucho, Rossi, Ramirez, Amundsen, Farsi, Zawardzki, Moreira.
Subs: Lapkes, Jones, Chambost, Jackson, Yeboah, Russell-Rowe, Cheberko, Arfsten, Mrowka, Presthus.
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Losing Douglas Luiz to balance the books has been the biggest blow so far, but Villa's disappointment at the Brazilian midfielder's move to Juventus is offset by the arrivals from the Turin club of Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior.
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