Unai Emery Discusses Douglas Luiz Conversation and Delivers Verdict on Aston Villa Midfielder
Unai Emery has provided insights into his conversations with Douglas Luiz and offered a glowing verdict on the Aston Villa midfielder's progress since his return to the club. The Brazilian player has made a strong impression on the Villa manager after rejoining the team last month.
Douglas Luiz's Return to Aston Villa
Douglas Luiz returned to Aston Villa on loan from Juventus for the remainder of the season, following a challenging first half of the campaign at Nottingham Forest where he struggled to find his best form. This move came after Luiz was allowed to leave Juventus in the summer, having failed to reach his peak performance level in Italy. His departure from Juventus occurred after a £42 million transfer from Villa before the June 30 PSR deadline in 2024.
Emery's Encouragement and Luiz's Recent Performances
Unai Emery has expressed encouragement regarding Douglas Luiz's development and adaptation since his return. Luiz has started Aston Villa's last three Premier League matches against Brentford, Bournemouth, and Brighton, delivering impressive performances in each game. His involvement has been crucial in covering for Youri Tielemans, who sustained a knee injury during Villa's 2-0 victory at Newcastle in January.
Emery commented on Luiz's progress, stating, "Douglas Luiz, how he is adapting - and I think progressively getting better - I think he played a good match on Wednesday." He further elaborated, "He left from here one year and a half ago, and he didn't perform well, or he didn't play a lot in Juventus and in Nottingham Forest."
Conversations and Recovery Process
The Aston Villa manager revealed details of his discussions with Luiz, emphasizing the importance of recovery and reminiscing about past successes. Emery explained, "Coming back here, we knew before, and I spoke with him, you must again, to recover, to remind everything we were doing here, and through it, you were performing so, so good, and through it, you got those deals leaving from here."
Emery highlighted the time needed for Luiz to regain his form, noting, "And we were speaking about the time he needed to get it, and we are doing it. And the three matches he played, the last one on Wednesday, I think, in the progression he is, he played a good match." This indicates a positive trajectory for the midfielder as he reintegrates into the Villa squad.
