Aston Villa suffered a 4-2 defeat to Real Sociedad, but the match offered glimpses of promise from the club's youngsters. Teenage striker Brian Madjo, who joined from Metz for £10m, showed his predatory instinct with a goal, despite the ongoing appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding his registration.

While the team is still being fine-tuned by head coach Unai Emery, players like Madjo, George Hemmings, and Modou Cisse are expected to feature more prominently. Emery's communication with the younger players was a point of focus during the game, highlighting the need for development.

Several key players were absent due to World Cup campaigns or injury, with Ollie Watkins still on a break and Tammy Abraham recovering. The club is also still looking to sign a striker, with Nicolas Jackson a top target. Villa's pre-season schedule includes matches against Indonesia All-Stars, BG Pathum United, and Bayern Munich.