A Twist of Fate: Aston Villa Loanee Ready to Face Parent Club in Champions League
When clubs send players out on loan, it is usually to help them gain first-team experience, allow them to play football regularly, or even sometimes offload them from their wage bill. But clubs do not send players out on loan in order to play against them — and they definitely do not enjoy being punished by a player they have allowed to leave temporarily.
This, though, could happen with Samuel Iling-Junior. Aston Villa sent him out on loan to Bologna in the summer, the team they face in the Champions League tomorrow night (Tuesday).
Can Iling-Junior play? What do the rules state? Has this happened before? The Athletic’s Eduardo Tansley explains.
Iling-Junior's Journey: From Chelsea to Juventus and Aston Villa
Iling-Junior is an England Under-21 international who joined Juventus from Chelsea’s academy in 2020. After featuring nine times for Juventus’ U-23 Serie C side Juventus Next Gen, he made 36 first-team appearances and scored twice for the Italian side. The left-footer was usually deployed as a left wing-back for Juventus but is comfortable as a left-winger too.
Aston Villa signed Iling-Junior from Juventus last summer in a €22million ($18.6m; $23.6m) deal that included Enzo Barrenechea. Both players were signed on five-year contracts. Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz went the other way, joining Juventus in a deal worth a guaranteed €50million — with a further €1.5m in add-ons.
UEFA Loan Rules: A Look at Previous Examples
Remember when Philippe Coutinho — who is still a Villa player, albeit one out on loan at Vasco de Gama in Brazil — scored twice as Bayern Munich beat his parent club Barcelona 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-final in 2019-20? Or, when Thibaut Courtois was part of Atletico Madrid’s team that knocked out Chelsea in the 2013-14 Champions League season? The same rules apply here. In UEFA competitions, loan players can feature against their parent club.
Chelsea tried to dissuade Atletico Madrid from playing Courtois by including a fee in his contract every time he featured against his parent club. UEFA deemed this “null, void and unenforceable” and against their disciplinary regulations. These strictly forbid any club from attempting to exert “any influence whatsoever over the players that another club may (or may not) field in a match”.
Players can only appear for one club in UEFA competitions over a season. The only stipulation is that they can play in the first, second, or third qualifying round or the play-offs for one team and then from the group phase for another. Or, if a player makes the bench for one team (but does not play) and is later registered for another during the UEFA windows, they will be allowed to play for their new team.
The Iling-Junior Case: A Rare Scenario
No. Players cannot play against their parent club during loans. This was changed after Lomana LuaLua scored a late equaliser against his parent club Newcastle in a 1-1 draw while on loan at Portsmouth in the 2003-04 season.
Iling-Junior has yet to start for Bologna but has made three substitute appearances in Serie A, scoring on his debut against Como. At only 21 years old, he is close to 40 Serie A appearances (39). He has appeared in both of the club’s Champions League outings from the bench, coming on in the 79th minute against Liverpool. Bologna’s first-choice left-winger has been Switzerland international Dan Ndoye.
Aston Villa have started perfectly, winning both opening matches. Their 3-0 victory away at Young Boys was followed by the memorable 1-0 victory at Villa Park over Bayern Munich in a repeat of the 1982 European Cup final. Bologna are yet to score in the Champions League but earned a point in a 0-0 draw at home to Shakhtar Donetsk in their opener. They then suffered a 2-0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield.
Iling-Junior's Perspective: A Chance to Showcase His Talent
Despite the unusual situation, Iling-Junior is eager to seize the opportunity. "It will be a good opportunity to show the fans what I can do and hopefully I get a warm welcome," he told Sky Sports. Asked if he would celebrate, should he score, Iling-Junior replied: "Maybe a little bit but I won't overdo it!" He's also excited about showcasing his talent and potential to Aston Villa fans.
Iling-Junior's loan move to Bologna might be a peculiar situation, but it's a unique opportunity for him to shine in the Champions League. He's not just focused on the match but also on proving his worth and impressing his parent club with his progress.
The match will be a fascinating encounter, and it will be interesting to see how Iling-Junior performs against his parent club. It's a chance for him to make a statement and demonstrate his potential to Aston Villa, even if it's against them.
A Lesson in Perspective: Balancing Development and Team Goals
While it’s an unusual scenario, it showcases the complexities of loan deals and how they can impact both the lending and borrowing clubs. It also highlights the evolving landscape of the transfer market and how players can find themselves in unforeseen situations. It's a reminder that football, much like life, is full of surprises and unexpected twists. Iling-Junior’s situation is a testament to that, and it's a story that will surely be followed closely by fans and analysts alike.
