Aston Villa have been one of the most captivating teams in European football over the past two seasons, with Unai Emery taking the club to the heights of the Champions League for the upcoming 2024/25 season.
What makes the rise of Aston Villa so impressive is how many great, underrated players the club has unearthed like midfielder John McGinn and striker Ollie Watkins, who was a legitimate Premier League Player of the Season contender.
Yet center back Ezri Konsa has also been one of the best in the Premier League at his position since Emery's appointment, even though he is a bit of a hidden secret to the larger world of football fans.
I myself have made the grave mistake of underrating Konsa as one of the best defenders in English football, and he made sure to serve a cold reminder of his quality on a huge stage in the Euro 2024 quarterfinal against Switzerland.
For the 78 minutes he was on the pitch, Konsa was good as anyone, whether that be Switzerland's star defender and Manchester City man Manuel Akanji or England's goal-scoring hero and Arsenal superstar Bukayo Saka.
Konsa did not put a foot wrong. Nobody dribbled past him while he won two tackles, made seven clearances, and blocked two shots for England.
It was a colossal defensive performance as part of a brilliant team display in defense by England, and it was one that enhances Konsa's reputation as one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
Aston Villa have a host of great players like Konsa who aren't getting seen as top-class players but continue to prove their quality with top performances that will be noticed by those watching.
Although Aston Villa are being linked to center back options to help the squad, Konsa will continue to be a key player for the Lions in their Champions League campaign alongside Emery's old Villarreal favorite Pau Torres.
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