Aston Villa vs Liverpool, and it is no exaggeration to say that this is the biggest game of Andres Garcia’s fledgling career. He has made two powerful runs up the right flank, cheered on by a packed crowd under the lights. Aston Villa are growing into it.
Then, it happens. A stray pass. Intercepted by Diogo Jota. Punished by Mohamed Salah. Garcia puts his hands to his head, then bows in anguish. Villa’s captain John McGinn races to the young defender to show support. Soon, the Villa Park crowd respond too.
“It was a mistake,” Garcia tells Sky Sports. “A mistake that every player will make in their career. John McGinn came up to me but I noticed support from all of my teammates. When they saw me in that moment, they gave me their support very quickly.”
Highlights from the Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Liverpool
He adds: “I also noticed the support from the fans, because they were there applauding me right away to cheer me up again. We are professionals, we have to be able to deal with these kind of mistakes. In the end, we have to have a winning mentality.”
That mentality is one of the reasons why Villa were convinced by Garcia. Supporters saw it close up against the Premier League leaders. He not only started the game well but regrouped impressively after the error to contribute to a pulsating 2-2 draw.
“I knew I had to recover quickly, because I had to help the team. You have to get up quickly and have a good mentality.” That attitude that has impressed his new teammates – even those as experienced as former Real Madrid star Marco Asensio.
Asensio, speaking about Garcia, tells Sky Sports: “The truth is that I did not know him, but I can now say he has a big career ahead of him. That kind of mistake, I have made a lot of them in my career. In the end, they help you grow, make better decisions.
“It all comes down to mentality. I see the work that he puts in every day, how he tries to improve, the work in the gym and on the pitch, with the staff, the desire to keep learning and growing. It is basic but not all players have it and he has it. It is super important.”
It is worth remembering how fast this is all happening for the young full-back. With three goals in his final five appearances for Levante, all of them spectacular, Garcia arrived at Villa on a high, but the Premier League still represents a giant leap forward in his career.
His debut came against the brilliant Brazilian forward Matheus Cunha at Wolves, before a tough test against Tottenham’s Heung-Min Son back at Villa Park. Then came Jota. The weekend brings the prospect of him coming face to face with Cole Palmer and Chelsea.
“It is a huge change,” admits Garcia. “The step from being in the second division to one of the best leagues, if not the best, it is noticeable. The players are all physical, all fast and they have quality. The decisions are much faster and you have to get used to it.”
Andres Garcia’s heat map shows his regular positioning in the opposition half for Aston Villa
Garcia, 22, has shown impressive physicality already. At 6’1″, he has a broad frame for a full-back and can handle himself. But he can also move. Villa supporters are already becoming accustomed to the sight of him striding up and down that right flank.
At present, Garcia is averaging more crosses per 90 minutes than any other player in the Premier League. A winger when very young, he still has the speed to steal a yard on his opponent and whip dangerous balls into the penalty box. He can create as well as stifle.
“I would describe myself as a full-back who helps a lot defensively but can also be a weapon in attack, someone who can generate imbalances with one-on-ones and, above all, a good crosser. That is it more or less. Physicality, speed, supporting runs.”
Andres Garcia is crossing the ball more often than any other player in the Premier League
Despite his error against Liverpool, he has actually been unusually safe in his use of the ball so far, completing over 92 per cent of his passes. But there is adventure to his game too and perhaps it is that side of Garcia that will emerge as his confidence develops.
For Levante, there was his thumped volley from the edge of the box against Mirandes followed by his 95th minute equaliser against Huesca, a curled effort into the top corner with his left foot. Against Tenerife, he ran 80 yards before finding the exact same spot.
Clearly, there is much more to come. Speaking to Unai Emery about Garcia’s impact, and, in particular, how he has responded to the setback of making that misplaced pass, the Villa manager makes it clear that it is all part of the player’s learning process.
The message from the boss? “Be free, every day,” explains Emery. “Training, preparing, playing matches. He has the potential. He will need time. But he is helping us now. And with his mentality, I am very optimistic. With his mentality, he will do it his way.”
He adds: “We know, we can see, there is still work to do. But he is competing very well with his characteristics as a player. Sometimes, of course, we are thinking that he will need time to get better performances at the level we are at. But he is performing well.”
Saturday 22nd February 5:00pm
Kick off 5:30pm
With Emery’s guidance, there is every reason to expect those performances to improve. Garcia talks of still being in “a state of adaptation” but fresh from a particularly lengthy video meeting – even by Emery’s extraordinary standards – he is learning fast.
“He is a very detailed coach,” says Garcia.” He really likes to work on the video, where he can see our mistakes, and where he can give us the tools to find the easiest way to overcome the opposition’s pressing, and to get to the opposition’s penalty area.
“He wants to create a super compact team with a very clear structure. He is showing us a way of playing and his staff are all united in the idea, working with us individually. He is very competitive with that hunger that you need to achieve your goals.”
And Garcia’s goals? “The coaching staff have already told me that they are with me, working with me every day to help me improve my game. I believe I can achieve a lot here and grow my game. The club has big aspirations and we are going to fight for them.”
Watch Aston Villa vs Chelsea live on Sky Sports Premier League from 5pm; kick-off 5.30pm
