Aston Villa’s winter signings Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia have been left out of the club’s squad for the Champions League knockout phase.
Forward Malen and right-back Garcia, signed from Borussia Dortmund and Levante respectively, will not be able to be selected for Champions League matchday squads after Villa qualified for the round of 16 stage.
Villa had a busy January window with five players added to Emery’s squad. Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi all arrived on loan deals, alongside the permanent additions of Malen, 26, and Garcia, 22.
This provided the club with a selection dilemma for the latter stages of the Champions League, with UEFA rules stating that a maximum of three squad additions can be added to a club’s European stage for the knockout phase of the tournament.
“The rules only can accept and register three changes,” Emery told a news conference on Friday as he confirmed Villa’s squad selection.
“We did more changes in the transfer window than we wanted. Even though we lost one player more because Jaden (Philogene) was a club-trained player and we lost the opportunity through him to have one more.
“We changed five players and can only register three. The decisions we had to take yesterday and are out are Andres Garcia and Donyell Malen. Of course, it’s not a good decision I had to take yesterday, but I spoke with Andres and Donyell to tell them the decision and I argued my decision with them.”
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Emery’s side finished eighth in the league phase of the Champions League, guaranteeing their progress into the last-16 stage of the competition without requiring a play-off.
They will face one of Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Sporting CP or Club Brugge — who are all involved in the play-offs — in the round of 16.
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The highest profile arrival at Villa Park was Rashford on a loan deal from Manchester United for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Villa will contribute a minimum of three-quarters of Rashford’s wages, which stands at more than £325,000 ($403,500) per week and up to 90 per cent depending on performance-based bonuses. Villa hold an option to make Rashford’s move permanent in the summer for a fee of £40m.
Rashford was one of several attacking additions to Emery’s squad, which was also bolstered by the permanent signing of Netherlands international Malen and the loan signing of Asensio from Paris Saint-Germain. Villa agreed to cover the 29-year-old Spaniard’s full salary until his deal expires at the end of the season.
Emery’s squad was also bolstered in defence, with the arrival of centre-back Axel Disasi on a loan deal from Premier League rivals Chelsea on Deadline Day, having secured the permanent signing of right-back Garcia.
Among the permanent outgoings from Villa in the transfer window were striker Jhon Duran to Saudi club Al Nassr, winger Jaden Philogene joining Ipswich Town and centre-back Diego Carlos transferring to Fenerbahce.
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(Top photo: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
