Aston Villa Defender Forced to Miss England Qualifier
Aston Villa and England have been dealt a fresh fitness concern as defender Ezri Konsa has been ruled out of the Three Lions' upcoming World Cup qualifier against Albania.
The Villa centre-back, who was on international duty, has been left at the squad's base in London and did not travel with the rest of the team for the match scheduled for Sunday.
Tuchel Confirms Minor Setback for Konsa
England manager Thomas Tuchel provided the update, confirming that Konsa was pulled out of the travelling squad as a precautionary measure. "Ezri has a tight calf and couldn’t finish training today," Tuchel stated.
He sought to allay major fears, adding, "He will get further assessment in London and he’s stayed in London. We think it’s nothing, we don’t even think it’s an injury, but it’s just a discomfort and not worth the risk."
Tuchel also hinted that the defender's heavy workload at club level played a part in the decision, noting that Konsa "arrived with a lot of minutes in camp so he was a candidate to maybe get a break."
Double Injury Blow for Villa During International Break
The news of Konsa's issue comes as a second fitness concern for Aston Villa during this international window. The club has also seen youngster Lamare Bogarde return from duty with the Netherlands under-21s after he was deemed unfit to play.
This double setback will be monitored closely by Villa manager Unai Emery, for whom Konsa has been a vital and consistent performer in defence. The club will be hoping the additional tests in London confirm Tuchel's initial assessment that the problem is minor.
