Youri Tielemans has admitted Aston Villa manager Unai Emery’s coaching is “fanatical” but is proving to be perfect for him personally.
Voetbal Primeur cover comments from the Aston Villa midfielder today given in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad.
That interview naturally saw him being asked about life under Emery, who has been a revelation since taking charge of Aston Villa in 2022.
It has been nothing but continued growth for the club since then, with last season seeing them qualifying for the Champions League.
They currently sit top of the new league format in that competition and fourth in the Premier League with five wins from nine games to date and just one defeat.
A huge part of Emery’s success has been the development of players in the squad, with Tielemans very much one of those to benefit.
He joined on a free transfer from Leicester in July 2023 and endured something of a difficult first year, failing to fully establish himself in the team.
The summer departure of Douglas Luiz changed that, though, and he is now a firm fixture alongside Belgian teammate Amadou Onana in the heart of Emery’s midfield, playing in 99% of the available minutes in the league and 94% in the Champions League.
The 27-year-old has rewarded that faith with a tally of four assists and one goal in 12 games so far and admits Emery has improved him in more than one area.
“The coach drilled his system into my head, then it was up to me,” he said.
“We have mainly refined my defensive work when I lose the ball. His coaching is very fanatical, and he goes into a lot of detail when it comes to football. I needed such a trainer.
“I think I have made a lot of progress, both technically, physically and defensively. Whether I’m over- or underestimated, I’ll let others discuss that.”
