BirminghamLive brings you the talking points from Aston Villa's defeat against Marseille in pre-season
Tyrone Mings smiles as he grapples with Mason Greenwood
Tyrone Mings smiles as he grapples with Mason Greenwood
(Image: Getty Images)
Aston Villa stepped up their preparations for the new campaign on Saturday night with their seventh and penultimate friendly of the summer, away to Marseille.
Unai Emery’s side lost 3-1 defeat, though half of his first-team squad did not feature, with another fixture against Villarreal at the Estadi de la Ceràmica scheduled for this evening (8pm).
Mason Greenwood capitalised on an early Tyrone Mings mistake to open the scoring, before John McGinn equalised in the eighth minute.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then came off the bench to score a quick-fire double, sealing victory for Marseille in their final friendly before their Ligue 1 campaign kicks off on Friday night.
Here are the talking points...
It was far from a 'friendly'
Emery will be frustrated by his side’s second-half display - they were second-best - but ultimately relieved to leave France without any injuries.
The second half saw tempers flare as Marseille players flew into unnecessary tackles, energising the sell-out 67,000 crowd.
Alex Moreno was on the receiving end of a reckless sliding challenge from CJ Egan-Riley late on - an incident that pushed the match closer to boiling point.
A new summer signing, Egan-Riley appeared eager to make an impression on the home crowd, but in doing so left his mark on Villa’s left-back.
Tyrone Mings immediately confronted the referee, who had already lost control of proceedings.
Mason Greenwood after kicking out on Amadou Onana
Mason Greenwood after kicking out on Amadou Onana
Tensions finally erupted when Mason Greenwood, frustrated after losing possession, kicked out at Amadou Onana in a challenge that made no attempt to play the ball.
Greenwood then shoved Onana and became tangled in a grappling match with Mings, leaving the Villa defender with a ripped shirt. Moments later, Greenwood was substituted and left the pitch shirtless.
Facundo Medina had also been stirring trouble from early on, constantly in the referee’s ear and trying to provoke Villa players.
Around the hour mark, he exchanged words with 18-year-old George Hemmings - until McGinn intervened to warn the Argentine away.
Mings quickly joined in to back up the youngster, though bizarrely, McGinn was shown a yellow card for his words to Medina.
George Hemmings looks a real talent
In truth, Hemmings showed he could handle himself. He plays with a maturity beyond his years, starting the game alongside Amadou Onana and complementing him well in midfield.
Comfortable in possession, Hemmings constantly demanded the ball, whether in tight spaces or when finding pockets to bypass Marseille’s press.
His work rate will have impressed Emery even more - he tracked runners, covered full-backs, and positioned himself intelligently.
Last season, Hemmings played a key role as Jimmy Shan's Under-18s side claimed an unprecedented domestic treble.
He joined Villa from Nottingham Forest in January 2024 and signed a new long-term contract in May 2025.
Evann Guessand of Aston Villa
Evann Guessand of Aston Villa(Image: Getty Images)
Guessand makes his first outing
Guessand was given 20 minutes to impress after replacing Donyell Malen just before the 70th minute, playing as the striker with Emi Buendía supporting him.
With Villa tiring and Marseille in control, Guessand had limited service. His first notable action was a sliding tackle on Leonardo Balerdi, which earned him a yellow card - a harsh call, as he appeared to win the ball, though he came in from an angle.
That sort of challenge would no doubt earn a roar from the Holte End if repeated in the Premier League opener against Newcastle.
While defending from the front isn’t typically his trademark, Guessand works hard off the ball and is committed to winning it back - a quality Emery will have noted during recruitment discussions. It spoke volumes about the forward's willingness to get stuck in that his first action was a crunching slide tackle.
On Villa TV, former winger Tony Daley praised the £30 million signing: "He is suited to the Premier League and will be a good asset for Villa. He played at the end of the season for Nice out wide.
"He loves to carry the ball, he is a danger, and a threat in the air too. It’s a great addition. We’ve got good talent up front, like Malen, Rogers, and Watkins - all of whom have been sharp this pre-season.
"He was really effective for Nice. He has great ball control, works hard, and gets up and down. He’s young, talented, and has all the attributes for sure."