A number of young players have been fielded in the pre-season matches before departing on the South Asian tour this midweek.
Aston Villa have just completed their final pre-season match against Real Sociedad earlier this week. It was their third outing following clashes against Walsall at home and FC Porto away.
Considering the number of first-team players being rested after the World Cup, the young players have dominated the squad in those games. Such was expected as Unai Emery wanted to see first-hand how the reserve-team players had developed and who could possibly be promoted for the 2026/27 season, which starts on August 23.
The last two matches were of greater significance as they came against established teams in Europe and provided the perfect opportunity to test the squad at the top level.
The match at the Dragao Stadium was quite a test for Villa’s youth team. They lost 2-1, but their youngsters performed quite well. Modou Cisse was in fine form at the back, while Luka Lynch was also impressive as he bagged the equaliser. The winger, who can also play at left-back, still needs to work on his attacking build-up. Last season, he featured in 15 games, scoring four goals and providing three assists.
Apart from them, Bradley Burrowes and Brian Madjo were the ones who impressed the fans. They both had chances to put their names on the scoresheet but failed. Nevertheless, they displayed a glimpse of their considerable potential. Meanwhile, Villa’s new signing, Joao Gomes, also performed quite well. He came off the bench to replace Ross Barkley.
The game against Real Sociedad at Bescot Stadium did not end in the victory many had expected. Unai Emery’s men suffered another defeat. This time they were beaten 4-2. However, their youngsters once again displayed some notable performances. Several could be considered for inclusion in the first-team squad for the upcoming season.
A number of names definitely stole the show. George Hemmings was certainly one of them. He bagged the opener and showed his promising potential as an attacking midfielder. The 19-year-old can also operate as a defensive midfielder. Last season, he made 12 appearances for Aston Villa’s reserve team, providing three assists.
The other two standout performers were Modou Cisse and, of course, frontman Brian Madjo. The former did well at centre-back, making a crucial recovery to deny one golden opportunity for Real Sociedad’s Orri Oskarsson in the second half. The latter earned high praise for his composure, eye for goal and positioning.
He has been tipped to be similar to Romelu Lukaku. Madjo scored the equaliser in the game, which was his third goal of the pre-season. Another player whose performance was considered impressive was Bradley Burrowes. He posed a constant threat to the opposition’s defence despite failing to break the deadlock early in the first half.
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