UNAI EMERY MAKES SHOCK CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DECISION AS TWO ASTON VILLA STARS ARE SNUBBED — FANS WON’T BELIEVE THE NAMES

Aston Villa supporters have been hit with a Champions League squad announcement they probably did not see coming.

Unai Emery has made his decision.

Two players have been left out of Aston Villa’s Champions League squad, despite both arriving with expectations that they could play an important role during the campaign.

And the identity of the first omission is likely to surprise a lot of Villa fans.

The decision comes after a hugely eventful transfer window in which the club strengthened several areas of the squad.

Villa have been determined to compete at the highest level again after establishing themselves as a regular presence in European football under Emery.

But UEFA rules have created a problem.

Villa cannot simply register every player they want.

The club has submitted a 23-player List A squad rather than the maximum 25, meaning Emery has had to make some difficult choices.

And those choices have now produced one of the most surprising squad-selection stories surrounding the club.

EMERY HAD A HUGE DECISION TO MAKE

The Villa boss already knew that some players would inevitably miss out.

The Champions League squad regulations include requirements concerning homegrown players, meaning clubs cannot always fill their squad with whichever players they choose.

That left Emery with a serious selection headache.

The manager had to consider experience, positional depth, recent form, squad balance and the club’s long-term plans.

And when the final squad was announced, two names were nowhere to be found.

One omission was particularly eye-catching because Villa had only recently invested a substantial amount of money to bring the player to the club.

Supporters naturally assumed that a sizeable new signing would be competing for a place in Europe.

But that assumption proved wrong.

THE FIRST NAME REVEALED

The player Emery has left out is…

Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Yes — the England international will not be part of Villa’s Champions League league-phase squad.

Harwood-Bellis completed his move from Southampton to Aston Villa on Deadline Day in a deal worth around £25 million, with the possibility of another £5 million in add-ons.

His arrival was viewed as another major addition to Emery’s defensive options.

But the timing of the transfer appears to have played a significant role in the Champions League registration situation.

The defender now faces the frustrating prospect of watching Villa’s European campaign from the sidelines.

For a player who has just joined a club competing in Europe’s elite competition, it is undoubtedly a major disappointment.

But there is another twist.

HE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE

Harwood-Bellis is not the only new arrival who has been excluded.

Another player who joined Villa during the transfer window has also failed to make Emery’s Champions League squad.

And this is where supporters may begin asking even more questions.

The second omitted player is Modou Keba Cissé.

Cissé has also been left out as Villa attempt to work within UEFA’s squad restrictions.

That means two recent arrivals will have to wait for their opportunity to represent Villa in Europe’s biggest club competition.

But while those two players have missed out, Emery has made room for another name that has caught the attention of supporters.

THE NAME NOBODY EXPECTED

One of the more interesting inclusions is young Brazilian Alysson.

The youngster has been included in Villa’s Champions League squad, giving him the possibility of experiencing European football at the highest level.

His inclusion is arguably one of the most fascinating aspects of Emery’s selection.

While a £25 million signing has been omitted, a young prospect has been given a place.

That does not necessarily mean Emery considers Alysson ahead of Harwood-Bellis.

Instead, it demonstrates how the registration rules have forced Villa into making choices that might otherwise have looked completely different.

And Emery clearly believes the young Brazilian deserves to be part of the group.

THE BIG SUMMER REBUILD

The Champions League squad also provides another glimpse at just how dramatically Villa have changed their squad.

Villa have brought in a number of high-profile players, including Leon Goretzka, Matteo Ruggeri, João Gomes, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Nicolas Jackson, Alejandro Garnacho and Zion Suzuki.

With so much competition for places, Emery was always going to face difficult decisions.

But few would have predicted that Harwood-Bellis would be one of the players sacrificed.

Especially considering the fee Villa paid to secure his services.

The situation demonstrates the increasingly complicated nature of squad management at the top level.

A manager can have an enormous amount of talent available to him but still be forced to leave players out because of competition regulations.

THERE COULD STILL BE A WAY BACK

However, Villa fans should not assume this is the end of Harwood-Bellis’ Champions League ambitions.

There could still be an opportunity later in the season.

If Villa progress beyond the league phase and reach the knockout stages, clubs are allowed to make changes to their squads.

That could potentially give Emery the opportunity to add players who were not initially registered.

So while Harwood-Bellis has missed out for now, his Champions League story may not be over.

The same could potentially apply to other omitted players depending on how Villa’s campaign develops.

EMERY UNDER PRESSURE TO GET IT RIGHT

The pressure on Emery will be enormous.

Villa are no longer simply trying to make up the numbers in Europe.

Expectations have risen.

The club wants to compete with Europe’s biggest sides, while supporters are dreaming about another memorable European campaign.

That makes every squad decision important.

Emery will have to rotate his players carefully because Villa’s Champions League commitments will come alongside a demanding Premier League schedule.

There will be injuries.

There will be suspensions.

There will be players demanding more minutes.

And there will inevitably be moments when supporters look towards the bench and wonder about the players who were left out.

That is why this decision could become even more significant as the season progresses.

VILLA FANS HAVE ALREADY STARTED TALKING

The reaction is likely to be divided.

Some supporters will understand why Emery had to make the decision.

Others will question how a player costing around £25 million can arrive at the club and immediately find himself outside the Champions League squad.

And then there is Alysson.

His inclusion gives Villa fans something exciting to look forward to.

The youngster now has the possibility of playing a role in one of the biggest competitions in world football.

For Emery, however, the message is simple.

He has chosen the squad he believes gives Aston Villa the best chance of succeeding.

Whether he has got it right will be judged on the pitch.

And with the Champions League campaign approaching, the debate is only going to get louder.

Two names have been left out. One of them cost Aston Villa £25 million. A surprise youngster has been included.

And if Villa suffer an injury crisis during their European campaign, supporters may look back at Emery’s decision and ask one very simple