The Spaniard has made a huge impact since joining Villa but has previously played under several managers at PSG and Real Madrid
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Aston Villa's Marco Asensio celebrates scoring their side's first goal against Club Brugge
Marco Asensio has played under some of the world's most esteemed managers.
(Image: Jacob King/PA Wire)
Marco Asensio has continued his fine form since arriving at Villa Park, earning rave reviews from manager Unai Emery after scoring against Club Brugge.
Aston Villa signed the 29-year-old Spaniard on loan from perennial French champions PSG in January but do not have an option to make the move permanent.
Emery admitted Asensio "helped a lot" after coming from the bench at half-time to score twice against Club Brugge as Villa booked their spot in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. The head coach also confessed his desire to keep Asensio at the club beyond this season.
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"It depends [on wanting to sign Asensio permanently]. We are happy with him," Emery said during his post-match press conference on Wednesday (March 12).
"We are protecting him because he is not feeling 100 per cent in the last matches he played. Today he was feeling good. He wanted to start the match, but I decided to protect him. How he played for 45 minutes was fantastic.
"He took the responsibility to do his task like we planned, scoring goals. How he is connecting with other players, getting good positions is really important for us. His skills, it is in my idea structurally and tactically, how I want to build the team. One player like him is very important."
Emery has spoken glowingly on the three-times Champions League winner at every given opportunity, previously saying “Marco is a very good player, playing as a number 10. He can play in both positions but he can play trying to get assists and scoring goals. It was fantastic how he played."
Aston Villa are set to face off against Asensio's parent club, PSG, in the next round of the Champions League. The attacker has struggled for form and fitness in Paris since arriving on a free from Real Madrid.
PSG manager Luis Enrique spoke about rumours he planned to let Asensio go in January, saying: “My decisions speak much better than what I think of each player at each moment."
"I always say the same thing, I make decisions based on what I see in the competition and in training. Obviously the players who don't play don't agree , but that's the role I have to play as a coach. I always say that there is no situation that can't be changed, but today the decisions are those and I have nothing to explain."
Real Madrid boss, Carlo Ancelotti deployed Asensio across multiple tenures at the Bernabeu with the Spanish talent scoring in a 4-1 Champions League final win against Juventus in 2017. Ancelotti has previously spoken highly of the player before his Madrid exit, stating: "I like Marco Asensio a lot — it's normal many clubs like him, but I hope he will stay here with us at Real Madrid."