Unai Emery has offered a reassuring update on Tyrone Mings' injury status following a distressing incident during Aston Villa's recent 1-1 draw with West Ham United. Mings, visibly upset, left the pitch in tears, raising concerns among fans and teammates alike due to his history of knee issues, including two anterior cruciate ligament injuries.
Despite the initial alarm, Emery has sought to downplay the severity of the situation. "It is not a big injury. But every day is going to be important to see if he feels better or worse. When we play lots of matches, this is the difficulty we have," he remarked, suggesting a degree of optimism regarding Mings' potential availability for the upcoming Champions League clash with Celtic. However, Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey later appeared to temper expectations, hinting that Mings' participation in the match might be unlikely.
During Tuesday's training session, the day before the encounter with Celtic, Mings was notably absent, although Emery had hoped to assess his fitness ahead of the fixture. "We are going to decide how every player is feeling," Emery explained, acknowledging the readiness of other squad members, including Lamare Bogarde and Sil Swinkels, who have been training well. He added, "Lucas Digne is left-footed and is an experienced player. He can feel confident [playing at centre-back]. Firstly, if Tyrone Mings is available then he could play, but if not, Bogarde - who has usually played in midfield - he is training sometimes as a centre-back. I am confident and I believe in the squad we have."
Ramsey's comments reflected a cautious approach to Mings' recovery. "When he came off, you could see how devastated he was. He is a big character, a big leader so it is also good news that it is only a couple of weeks, and hopefully he can get back into the team," he stated, indicating that while the injury is serious enough to warrant concern, it may not be long-term.
As Aston Villa prepare to face Celtic, Emery took a moment to commend their opponents, managed by Brendan Rodgers. He acknowledged Celtic's impressive track record and competitive spirit, noting, "They are a winning team and they have a winning mentality. They have experience, international players, and they will be feeling confident coming here to face us." Emery's respect for Celtic is evident, as he refrained from mentioning his past successes against them during his tenure at Paris Saint-Germain, where he secured notable victories of 5-0 and 7-1.
The upcoming match is crucial for Aston Villa as they aim to secure a place in the last 16 of the Champions League without the need for a playoff. Emery remains focused on preparing his team for the challenge ahead, stating, "I have analysed them and they are in this position because they have a good coach and good players. We will need to be ready for that at the start of the match." As reported by Yahoo! Sport, the fixture promises to be a formidable test as Villa strives to advance in the prestigious tournament.