Emery was wrong about Rashford.

In the Champions League quarter-final second leg between Aston Villa and PSG on the morning of April 16th, a controversial decision by manager Unai Emery attracted the attention of both experts and fans.

Rashford played well as Aston Villa beat PSG 3-2 in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.

The substitution of Marcus Rashford in the 76th minute, when the striker was playing impressively, became one of the hot topics in this match. Did Emery make a mistake with this change?

Rashford was playing well but was substituted.

Although Rashford didn't score in this match, he was the one who brought about Villa's resurgence in the second half. After PSG led 2-0 in the first half and held a 5-1 aggregate advantage, few thought Villa could successfully stage a comeback. However, Rashford proved that he is one of the most influential players on the pitch.

Rashford played tirelessly, constantly putting pressure on PSG's defense. He was not only an inspiration for the attacks but also directly contributed to Villa's goals. In the situation leading to Villa's third goal, Rashford displayed his skillful technique by nutmegging a PSG player, then weaving past another before providing a perfect assist for Ezri Konsa to score.

As always, Rashford knows how to make a difference. In this match, he displayed the perfect combination of speed, technique, and strength.

Despite PSG's dominance in the first half, Rashford never stopped fighting. Certainly, without his presence on the pitch, Villa would have struggled to gain the confidence and create those chances they did.

Rashford constantly disrupted the PSG defense with his speed.

By the time he was substituted, Rashford had 12 touches in the opponent's penalty area, created the most chances (4), and had the highest number of crosses (9). Although he didn't score, Rashford played a crucial role in creating space for his teammates and forcing the PSG defense into mistakes. Former Villa striker Dion Dublin didn't hesitate to call Rashford "the man of the match" for making the biggest difference.

Given Rashford's impressive performance, the decision to substitute him in the 76th minute was puzzling. When Villa needed another goal to equalize the aggregate score, replacing a high-performing striker could have dampened the team's attacking momentum. This not only deprived Villa of a crucial source of energy but also created a sudden shift in the tempo of the game.

Stephen Warnock, a former Villa defender, believes the decision to substitute Rashford was a mistake, as it "slowed down the tempo of the game." He also questioned Emery's reasoning for withdrawing a well-performing striker when the team needed a goal to revive their hopes. This decision could negatively impact Villa's morale, as they were close behind and only needed one goal to equalize.

However, it's undeniable that Emery has brought a new look to Villa since taking over the club in October 2022. Under Emery, the Birmingham club is no longer a team battling relegation but has risen to become a contender for a Champions League spot.

However, at crucial moments like the match against PSG, Emery also faced criticism for making decisions that could have changed the course of the game. The question is whether Emery was aware of Rashford's importance to the Villa squad at that time. With a striker as energetic and capable of making a difference as Rashford, substituting him when the team needed another goal could be considered a mistake.

What does the future hold for Rashford at Villa?

With his performances for Villa, Rashford has demonstrated a strong ability to recover his form after a period of inconsistency at Manchester United. Since joining Villa in January, he quickly secured a key place in Emery's starting lineup. The match against PSG is the clearest evidence of this resurgence.

Will Villa sign Rashford permanently at the end of the season?

Rashford is currently playing for Villa on loan with a £40 million buy-out clause. With just over a month left in the season, both Rashford and Villa will have to make a decision about his future. As for Emery, despite leading Villa to a strong resurgence, he will also face difficult decisions regarding maintaining this formidable squad.

The match between Aston Villa and PSG was not just a contest between two teams, but also a prime example of the importance of tactical decisions at crucial moments. Unai Emery's decision to substitute Rashford – perhaps tactically – deprived Villa of a key element in their game when the team needed a breakthrough to get closer to their goal of a comeback.

While Emery may have had his reasons for making the substitution, the mistake in this match raises questions about whether he has truly optimized the team's strengths. With Rashford playing so brilliantly, was substituting him the right move?

This will only be proven in the upcoming matches, as Villa continues to strive for their ambitious goal.

Source: https://znews.vn/emery-da-sai-voi-rashford-post1546218.html