Unai Emery has confirmed that Victor Lindelof was 'not feeling good' before being substituted at half-time during Aston Villa's 4-2 victory over Liverpool. The win secured Villa's qualification for next season's Champions League, but attention now turns to the Europa League final against SC Freiburg on Wednesday night.
Lindelof's Injury Concern
The Swedish defender was replaced by Ross Barkley at the break after experiencing pain in his foot. Emery explained: 'He had a small problem and he was having pain in his foot. He wanted to continue playing but he was not feeling good, and we decided to change.'
Despite the setback, Emery praised Lindelof's contributions: 'He helped us with his experience and quality. Playing under the demands we have is not pressure because pressure should be something positive. He always gives us confidence, whether as a centre-back or recently as a midfielder, where he has done fantastically.'
Midfield Role and Injury Doubts
Lindelof has started the last three games in midfield, with two of those matches producing four-goal wins. With Amadou Onana doubtful and Boubacar Kamara already ruled out of the final in Istanbul, Villa will hope Lindelof recovers in time.
The Europa League final represents a chance for Villa to end a 30-year trophy drought. Emery has achieved the primary objective of Champions League qualification, but the squad's fitness will be crucial for the decisive match against Freiburg.
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