“Garnacho happy to be back playing and sends a hint to Chelsea.”

Alejandro Garnacho did not hesitate to take a jab at Chelsea after making his debut for Aston Villa in a match held in Indonesia. The Argentine, who joined Villa Park on loan from Chelsea with a purchase obligation, left behind his time at Stamford Bridge, where he struggled to make an impact.

The 22-year-old started in Aston Villa's 3-1 victory over the Indonesia All Stars. After the game, Garnacho shared a photo on his Instagram story, accompanied by the caption: “See you soon, Bangkok! First start after 3 months. Happy to be enjoying my football again. 1% every day. Thank you, Indonesia!” Although he did not manage to score, the player showed positive moments in his first appearance wearing the Villa shirt.

The victory over the All Stars was secured with goals from Emiliano Buendia, Ross Barkley, and young Brian Madjio, who is just 17 years old. With this win, Aston Villa is gearing up for a new season in which it will compete in Europe for the fourth time under the guidance of Unai Emery, who led the team to win the Europa League in May, ending a 30-year trophy drought.

Meanwhile, the squad has undergone some changes, with Morgan Rogers leaving for Chelsea for €117 million and midfielder Youri Tielemans departing for Manchester United. Aston Villa has strengthened its lineup with the signings of Yohan Manzambi and João Gomes, in addition to Garnacho, and Emery expressed his enthusiasm for the new direction of the team. “I am really optimistic. As we are building the team, with many opportunities and how we are responding every day,” Emery stated.

The coach also made a point of communicating to the fans: “We are coming back with a new spirit, a new chapter. I am really excited.” Emery emphasized the importance of the training camp the team is undertaking, where he aims to focus on physical preparation and the integration of new players into the playing system. “Tactically, as quickly as we can, we need to try to understand our structure with the players we have,” he added.

The coach also highlighted that several members of the squad are yet to return following commitments in the World Cup, and reiterated the need to continue working to prevent injuries and adapt as best as possible to the new team structure.