Unai Emery shoved Youri Tielemans after he was subbed off
Unai Emery clashed with Youri Tielemans during Aston Villaβs tense 1β0 Europa League victory over Fenerbahce in Istanbul on Thursday, January 22, 2025, a moment that briefly overshadowed a disciplined away performance.
With Villa clinging to a narrow lead deep into stoppage time, the atmosphere inside the stadium was electric.
Fenerbahce were pushing hard for an equaliser, and Emery turned to his bench in a bid to run down the clock, withdrawing Tielemans for teenager George Hemmings.
As the Belgian midfielder made his way toward the touchline, cameras captured an animated exchange between the player and the manager. Emery, visibly agitated, appeared to berate Tielemans before forcefully shoving him once he stepped off the pitch.
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The sudden flash of frustration stunned viewers, and within minutes, clips of the confrontation were circulating widely on social media.
Speaking after the match, Emery attempted to downplay the incident.
He referred to Tielemans as being βlike my son,β offering little detail about what sparked the outburst while insisting his focus remained on seeing out an important victory.
Watch the video below:
Emery didn’t want him to run? Why is he shouting and putting his hands on Tielemans pic.twitter.com/tERRmIpBwK
β Thominho (@ThominhoUnited) January 22, 2026
FKA/JE
Meanwhile, watch as Ghanaians celebrate Senegal’s AFCON triumph
