From Madrid to Birmingham! How Asensio’s vision will ignite Villa’s frontline | OneFootball

The Marco Asensio loan deal from Paris Saint Germain to Aston Villa was a real coup for Villa manager Unai Emery. Having enjoyed a glittering career, in which Asensio played 191 games for Real Madrid from 2014 to 2023, scoring 37 goals, he then signed for PSG, where in 31 appearances he scored 6 goals.

Asensio’s loan to Villa was sealed on the 3rd of February, and it didn’t take him long to make his presence felt. He scored his first 2 goals for Villa 10 days later in their 2-1 comeback victory over Premier League rivals Chelsea. Regarding his loan, the Spaniard said, “I’m really happy to join Aston Villa. I’m looking forward to being able to contribute to this club and add to this team with eagerness and excitement.”

Who is Marco Asensio?

Marco Asensio is a top-quality footballer blessed with an amazing left foot. He has played with many of football’s modern greats, including Kylian Mbappe, Luca Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sergio Ramos. A Spanish national, he was born on the 21st of January, 1996, in Palma, Mallorca, and was playing for Mallorca, where he began his incredible football career.

He has also played at most levels for the Spanish national team, making 2 appearances for the U16s, 12 for the U19s, for whom he scored 8 goals, and the U21s, scoring 7 times. In addition, he has won 38 caps for the senior side, scoring on 2 occasions. He was included in the squad for the 2022 World Cup and has high hopes of representing his country again in the 2026 World Cup in America.

The importance of Villa’s key sponsors

Even though Asensio’s loan is only for a few weeks until the end of the 2024/25 season, with no clause to make the move permanent, it will still cost Villa a pretty penny. They have agreed to pay his salary, which amounts to £116,500 per week. Transfers and loans are a costly business, which is one of the reasons that football cubs need sponsors.

Aston Villa has an impressive list of sponsors. It includes Adidas, who agreed to partner with the Birmingham club in June 2024. Villa’s President of Business Operations said, “We believe we should be judged by the company we keep, and so we are delighted to announce our partnership with Adidas.”

Another key sponsor who also came aboard in 2024 was Betano. On top of their announcement of their sponsorship of UEFA EURO 2024 and CONMEBOL Copa America 2024, Betano’s partnership with Villa shows their deepening connection with the soccer world. It will also see their logo emblazoned on the team’s shirts.

Experts at Slotsjudge.com, a platform specializing in online casino reviews, have noted the growing influence of iGaming sponsors in professional sports. This underscores a global trend of increasing collaboration between betting and gambling companies and leading football clubs. Given such deals, there is speculation that the platform might also consider engaging in similar partnerships in the future to expand its audience and strengthen its ties with the entertainment industry. With the rapid rise of online gambling, such sponsorship agreements could become a key element of marketing strategy for industry leaders.

Will Asensio be able to play in Villa’s Champions League Matches?

Once upon a time, it would not have been possible for Marco Asensio to take part in Aston Villa’s remaining Champions League fixtures, having already played for Paris St Germain in this season’s tournament. But, because UEFA ditched their “cup-tie” rules back in 2018, he will be able to take the field for Villa.

It’s great news because they can certainly use his skills and his Champions League experience – after all – thanks to his time with Los Blancos, he is a Champions League winner three times, and not many players can say that.

Along with Ollie Watkins and new loan signing Marcus Rashford, the Spaniard will really make Aston Villa a force to be reckoned with. Marcus Rashford voiced his thoughts about Villa’s ambition, which he said was an important motivating factor in his move from Manchester United. Playing alongside a three-time Champions League winner, Marco Asensio speaks about that in volumes.

Can Aston Villa progress to the Champions League quarter-finals and beyond?

Being through to the final 16, Villa’s next game will be the second leg against Club Brugge, who, at the time of writing, sit in second place in the Belgian Pro League table and were beaten 3-1 by Villa in the first leg despite a valiant display. The team from Birmingham stand a good chance of getting through to the quarter-finals, where they could face one or both of Asensio’s former clubs – Paris Saint Germain or Real Madrid. It’s an exciting prospect. Footballers relish the thought of playing and scoring against their former clubs, and Asensio might be able to look forward to that in spades. He’d enjoy nothing more than parading his creational and attacking skills against his old teammates, and the Villa fans would be pretty sure to enjoy that, too. As Unai Emery said, “Marco is a very good player as a number 10. He can play in both situations. He can play assisting and scoring goals.”