Basel 1-2 Aston Villa Player Ratings: Evann Guessand 8.5/10 Rated as Tielemans' Stunner Secures 2-1 Victory

Aston Villa clinched a crucial away victory in the Europa League. They narrowly defeated Basel 2-1 in a tense affair. The match was a real back-and-forth contest. It kept us on the edge of our seats until the final whistle.

From our perspective, the game was defined by moments of individual quality. Aston Villa started brightly. They took an early lead through Evann Guessand, who found the net with a sharp finish. His goal in the 12th minute seemed to set the tone for the visitors.

However, Basel fought back with determination. They leveled the scoreline before halftime. Flavius Daniliuc scored their equalizer, a moment of joy for the home crowd. The second half became a tactical battle, with both sides searching for a winner. The decisive moment came from substitute Youri Tielemans, whose beautiful strike from a distance sealed the three points for Aston Villa. This match was a testament to Villa's resilience on the road. Here are Sportsdunia's Basel vs Aston Villa player ratings.

Aston Villa Player Ratings vs Basel

Check out the Aston Villa player ratings for the Basel vs Aston Villa fixture.

Goalkeeper

Marco Bizot - 7/10: A solid performance from the keeper. He made three crucial saves, including two from inside the box. What stood out to us was his save late in the game from a Jonas Adjetey header. He commanded his area well, and his distribution was decent enough. Conceding one goal was not his fault. A reliable presence between the sticks.

Defenders

Matty Cash - 5/10: A really tough day at the office for Cash. He picked up an early yellow card and seemed to struggle defensively. He was dribbled past once and lost possession 9 times in just 46 minutes. From our viewpoint, his substitution at halftime was completely justified as he looked off the pace. A performance he'll want to forget.

Victor Lindelöf - 6.5/10: A calm and composed display. Lindelöf's passing was exceptional, completing 96% of his 85 passes. He was tidy on the ball and made six important clearances. However, we noticed he wasn't as dominant in his duels as you'd like. A steady, if unspectacular, outing for the defender.

Ezri Konsa - 6.5/10: The captain had a mixed game. He was strong in his duels, winning four of six, and drew two fouls. His passing into the final third was ambitious. But he picked up a yellow card and lost possession nine times, which was a bit concerning. He led the line but had a few shaky moments.

Lucas Digne - 6.5/10: A typical busy performance from Digne down the left flank. He was defensively solid, winning most of his duels and making some key clearances. He tried to get forward, but his four crosses didn't find their mark. Lost possession a fair bit, but his work rate was undeniable throughout the 90 minutes.

Midfielders

Emiliano Buendía - 7.5/10: A creative spark for Villa, even if he was a bit chaotic. He provided the assist for the winning goal, his second of the game. Created two chances overall which was great to see. However, he lost the ball 12 times and got a yellow card. It was a frustrating but ultimately effective performance from the Argentine.

Jadon Sancho - 6.5/10: We saw flashes of his quality but it wasn't consistent. Sancho created three chances and got a shot on target. But he also lost possession 13 times and made an error that led to a shot. From our perspective, he drifted in and out of the game before being substituted.

Amadou Onana - 7/10: A very tidy and efficient performance in midfield. His 96% pass accuracy was impressive, and he barely put a foot wrong in possession. He was physically present and won his duels. He even forced a good save with a header. A really promising display before he was subbed off.

Lamare Bogarde - 8/10: An outstanding defensive midfield performance. We were so impressed by his tenacity. Winning 10 duels and making 8 ball recoveries highlights his dominance. He was everywhere, breaking up play and shielding the backline effectively. A real warrior in the middle of the park.

Forwards

Donyell Malen - 5.5/10: A very quiet evening for the attacker. He only had 25 touches in 79 minutes and struggled to get involved. He lost a couple of key duels and didn't offer a significant threat. It felt like the game passed him by, which was disappointing to see.

Evann Guessand - 8.5/10: Our man of the match. He was a constant nuisance for the Basel defence. He took his goal brilliantly, showing great composure. Beyond the goal, he won 6 duels and made several tackles from the front. His work rate was phenomenal, a complete centre-forward's performance. The highest-rated player on the pitch for a reason.

Substitutes

Youri Tielemans - 7.5/10: What an impact. Came on at halftime and completely changed the game. His match-winning goal was a thing of beauty, a stunning strike from a distance. A game-changing substitution that proved decisive.

Ollie Watkins - 6/10: Came on for the final 25 minutes but didn't have a huge impact on the game. Drew a foul but couldn't get any clear-cut chances.

Boubacar Kamara - 6/10: Brought on to shore up the midfield and did his job quietly. Kept things simple and helped see out the win.

Morgan Rogers - 6/10: Looked lively after coming on but was a bit rash, committing a couple of fouls. Didn't have enough time to truly influence the game.

John McGinn - N/A: Came on late and didn't have enough time to warrant a rating.

Manager

U. Emery Etxegoien - 7.5/10: A great result on the road. His starting lineup was strong, and his substitutions were spot on. Bringing on Tielemans at halftime was a masterstroke that won his team the match. He managed the game well in the final stages to secure the victory.

Basel Player Ratings vs Aston Villa

Check out the Aston Villa player ratings for the Basel vs Aston Villa fixture.

Goalkeeper

Marwin Hitz - 6.5/10: He couldn't do much about either goal, especially the Tielemans rocket. He made two saves from inside the box and was incredibly accurate with his short passing. A decent performance, but he was let down by his defence for the first goal.

Defenders

Keigo Tsunemoto - 7/10: A very solid defensive display from the right-back. He won an impressive seven of his eight duels and made five tackles. He was a rock on his side of the pitch. His only downside was a tendency to lose the ball when venturing forward, but defensively he was excellent.

Flavius Daniliuc - 7.5/10: Scored the crucial equalizer and was a threat from set-pieces. Defensively, he was very good, winning all of his duels and recovering the ball seven times. His passing was also crisp and accurate. A very strong all-round performance from the centre-back.

Jonas Adjetey - 7/10: A dominant presence in the air, winning four of his five aerial duels. He made five clearances and nearly scored a late equalizer with a header. He was strong and composed at the back. A really encouraging performance from the young defender.

Dominik Schmid - 7/10: A very attacking performance from the left-back. He created two chances and put in seven crosses. He also won seven duels and made four tackles. However, he did lose possession 18 times, which was a bit too frequent from our perspective. An energetic but sometimes wasteful display.

Midfielders

Metinho - 6.5/10: A quiet but effective game in the heart of midfield. He kept the ball moving with an 88% pass accuracy and was solid defensively. He didn't offer much going forward but provided a good screen for his defence. A steady presence.

Philip Otele - 6/10: A frustrating night for Otele. He was a bundle of energy, winning 10 duels and making four tackles. But he was caught offside three times and lost possession 15 times. His final product was lacking, and he picked up a yellow card for his troubles.

Bénie Traoré - 6/10: He created a couple of chances but struggled to impose himself on the match. He was tidy in possession but didn't take enough risks. He won only one of his five duels, which showed a lack of physical presence before he was substituted.

Andrej Bacanin - 5.5/10: Really struggled to get into the rhythm of the game. He lost possession 12 times and was dispossessed on four occasions. He worked hard but lacked the quality needed in the final third. It was no surprise to see him taken off.

Léo Leroy - 7/10: A lively and combative performance. He scored the equalizing goal and was a constant thorn in Villa's side. He committed four fouls and picked up a yellow card, showing his aggressive nature. He drove his team forward but was sometimes a bit too reckless.

Forwards

Xherdan Shaqiri - 7/10: The captain provided the assist for the goal and was his team's main creative outlet while on the pitch. He drew fouls and looked dangerous with the ball at his feet. His influence waned, and he was substituted just after the hour mark. A good, but not great, performance.

Substitutes

Albian Ajeti - 5.5/10: Came on for Shaqiri but offered very little. He was caught offside twice and didn't register a shot. A passenger after his introduction.

Koba Koindredi - 6/10: Added some fresh legs to the midfield but couldn't change the game's outcome.

Ibrahim Salah - 6/10: Had a header blocked but otherwise struggled to make an impact.

Moritz Broschinski - N/A: Not enough time to make a difference.

Marin Soticek - N/A: A late cameo with no real involvement.

Manager

L. Magnin - 6.5/10: His team showed great fight to get back into the game. They were well-organized and caused Aston Villa problems. However, his substitutions failed to have the desired impact, and his side couldn't find a second equalizer. A decent effort but ultimately fell short against a stronger opponent.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match Goes to Evann Guessand