Youri Tielemans discussed Aston Villa’s chances in the Champions League under boss Unai Emery this season, as part of the latest instalment of the Villa Podcast.
The midfielder joined Kate Tracey and Alan McInally at Bodymoor Heath for EP06 of The Official Aston Villa Podcast, with Emery, the Champions League, Anderlecht and his footballing upbringing all on the agenda.
Villa Podcast EP06
Ahead of next week’s trip to Monaco in Villa’s penultimate outing of the league phase, Tielemans’ praised his manager’s influence and experience in European competitions.
He is looking forward to the game, before a mouth-watering clash with Celtic at Villa Park, as Emery’s men look to consolidate their place in the top eight.
The Belgium international said: “He’s got the experience with the Europa Leagues he’s won, the runs in the Champions League he’s had.
“He’s always very calm in meetings. He knows it’s going to be challenging, but you have to be on it, and we are, so far.
“I think we realise we need to be more consistent, especially in the league. Our away form needs to be better to be up there with the better teams in the league.
“In the Champions League, we’re doing really good, and we need to keep that form.
“With Monaco coming up, it’s going to be a very difficult game, but if we can at least draw or win that game, I think we gave good chances for the top eight.”
Casting his mind back to the early days of his career, Tielemans recalled his time starting out in Anderlecht’s academy, initially as a goalkeeper.
Leadership qualities were developed in Brussels as a youth, as he transitioned into midfield and steadily grew into the player we see at Villa Park today.
The 27-year-old added: “I started playing and then I wanted to be a goalkeeper. I have no idea [why]!
“But then, once I conceded a goal, I started dribbling everyone and scored a goal myself, so the manager put me in midfield and from there on, I just stayed in midfield.
“I was always a good player. We had an amazing team, the youth academy at Anderlecht.
“We always had the best players and everywhere we went in tournaments we always won them.
“I’d like to think I was a really good player, but I don’t think I had anything special, I just had, from a young age, leadership qualities that I’d always had from my education.
“Even now, it’s just natural for me to guide my teammates and the team.
“I was mostly every season captain, and the captains were chosen by the team, so the fact that I was captain, they saw that in me.”
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