Villa Excludes Malen, Garcia from UCL Squad

Unai Emery, Aston Villa's manager, faced a challenging decision to exclude new signings Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia from the Champions League knockout phase squad due to UEFA regulations. Villa qualified directly for the round of 16 after finishing eighth in the league phase but could only register three out of their five mid-season signings. The club opted for Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, and Axel Disasi, leaving Malen and Garcia out. The decision was affected by the loss of Jaden Philogene, a club-trained player, which limited their registration options. Despite the disappointment, Emery personally informed Malen and Garcia, who were both understanding of the situation. Villa will face either Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Sporting CP, or Club Brugge in the upcoming round.