Madjo’s 17‑minute surge could reshape Villa’s season

Brian Madjo burst onto the scene for Aston Villa, needing only 17 minutes to alter the club’s pre‑season outlook, wrote Tom Collosse. The 17‑year‑old’s far‑post volley against Paris Saint‑Germain stunned the visitors, and his performance has already sparked talk of an England future under Unai Emery’s guidance.

Villa’s pre‑season blueprint

Unai Emery deliberately loaded Aston Villa’s summer programme with seven high‑profile opponents, making Paris Saint‑Germain the seventh test before the final friendly against Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday. The club’s aim was to accustom younger players to his tactical demands while keeping the squad sharp ahead of the Premier League opener.

Madjo’s 17‑minute impact

In the Super Cup, Madjo bullied Willian Pacho, one of the world’s best markers, and gave Marquinhos a fright, registering six attempts on goal in just 17 minutes. He capped the spell with a difficult far‑post volley after out‑muscling Pacho, a strike that would be praised even against a full‑strength Paris Saint‑Germain side.

Super Cup result and fallout

Aston Villa eventually won the Super Cup, although PSG were still short of peak condition, reminding fans that “PSG are still PSG”. Madjo’s equaliser on Wednesday night lifted the mood at Villa Park and placed him at the forefront of the race to start the Premier League opener at Brighton on August 23, especially with Ollie Watkins unavailable until the weekend.

Tom Collosse, the football reporter, noted that Madjo joined Villa for £10 million in January but his registration was initially blocked. After an appeal, the Luxembourg international – born in Enfield, north London – was cleared to play earlier this summer, prompting captain John McGinn to post “English player allowed to play in England #freemadjo” on Instagram.

Veteran defender Tyrone Mings praised Madjo’s character, saying he has been patient, is very strong at about 100 kg, and possesses a high ceiling. John McGinn added that the youngster handled six months of inactivity amazingly, kept himself in shape, and is a “tough person to defend against”.

Madjo has already scored five pre‑season goals: a brace against Walsall in a 5‑0 win, plus strikes versus Real Sociedad and the Indonesia All Stars, while fellow youngster George Hemmings impressed even more against PSG. Their performances have eased fan apprehension over the sale of Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne, and the potential departures of Tammy Abraham and Nicolas Jackson.

Having represented Luxembourg in three friendlies, Madjo remains eligible for England and has already netted four goals in nine games for the England U‑17 side. With Emery’s track record of improving strikers, the 17‑year‑old appears poised to become a key figure for both club and country.