Aston Villa's Struggles Without Leon Goretzka

Unai Emery admits it. Aston Villa are missing Leon Goretzka badly – and the German hasn’t even kicked a ball for them yet.

The 31-year-old midfielder arrived at Villa Park on a free transfer after a glittering spell at Bayern Munich, signed to steady a reshaped midfield and bring big-game authority to a squad suddenly living in the rarefied air of the Champions League. Instead, a setback in training has turned anticipation into irritation.

Goretzka blow stalls Villa’s plans

Villa ramped up the intensity as the new season approached. Goretzka’s body pushed back.

A reaction to the increased workload has delayed his debut and forced Emery to redraw his early-season plans. The club had banked on his experience to guide a group that has undergone heavy turnover in midfield over the summer. Now, they will have to cope without him for at least another month.

Emery, speaking before Villa’s return to European action, did not hide the sense of loss.

“Goretzka’s issue is a bit frustrating, but we have players who can replace him,” he said. “When he’s coming back, hopefully he can get the consistency in training and playing and we can add his experience. He is a player who will help us in different competitions with the level he has.”

The frustration is shared by the player. Goretzka took to social media to address supporters who have been waiting to see what a Champions League winner can bring to their side. He explained that a spell of limited match action towards the end of his time in Germany left him vulnerable when Villa cranked up the demands.

“Unfortunately, my body has reacted to the increased workload after my time away from the pitch. It’s frustrating, but I need this short break now to come back at full strength. I’ll use the coming days, including the international break, to recover fully,” he said.

The timeline is clear: he will not feature until after domestic football resumes following the mid-September international fixtures. For a team short on rhythm, that feels like a long wait.

Stuttering start meets European spotlight

Villa’s opening to the 2026-27 Premier League campaign has been jarring. One draw, two defeats, and a table that looks nothing like the one that fuelled last season’s euphoria.

The contrast is stark. This time last year, Villa were building towards a top-four finish and European glory. Now they are searching for a first league win while trying to look like they belong among the continent’s elite.

Emery, though, sees signs of life beneath the results.

“I think the last match… we showed, collectively, some improvements,” he said. “We started (with) the Premier League as our objective at the end of the season, and we are progressing. Still not enough, because we are not getting good results, but tomorrow is a new test, and a new test in Europe.”

The Champions League is both reward and burden. Villa fought their way here, finishing fourth in the league and winning in Europe to punch through a ceiling many assumed would hold.

“To be here in Champions League is something fantastic, and how we achieved it we can continue feeling proud of how we did, through finishing fourth in the league and winning in Europe,” Emery said. “But it’s a new chapter, and completely different. When we started the project here, the vision we had was in our highest expectation, even maybe was not to be in Europe four years in a row, with two in the Champions League.”

The message is clear: what they have done is historic for the club. What comes next will define whether it was a peak or a platform.

Bruges revisited

Now comes Bruges. A trip with baggage.

Villa head to Belgium with memories of a 1-0 defeat in this competition back in 2024 still lingering. That night left a mark; this one offers a chance to erase it, or deepen the scar.

Emery must do it without Goretzka and without Johan Manzambi, who is also sidelined. There is at least one boost: Joao Gomes returns from suspension, adding bite and energy to a midfield that has been stretched both in numbers and in confidence.

They will need every ounce of it. The Belgian side have flown out of the blocks domestically, winning four of their first five league matches and carrying that momentum into Europe. Villa, by contrast, are trying to turn cautious optimism into points.

A club that dreamed its way into the Champions League now faces a blunt question in Bruges: can they handle this stage without one of the men signed to lead them through it?