Leon Bailly spent the first half of this season away from Aston Villa at AS Roma. Now the winger has once again become an important player for Unai Emery's team.
The Jamaican was loaned to AS Roma, where his arrival was celebrated. However, he suffered a muscle injury in his very first training session.
Things continued to go downhill. He suffered three more muscle injuries, allowing him to play only 181 minutes in Serie A.
sports witness Question marks were raised about the winger's attitude, as Roma became frustrated with the player. They weren't really sure about his never-ending muscle problems, as he failed to play more than 30 minutes even in the Europa League.
Now, Roma has been surprised by how things have turned out for him at Aston Villa, where he has played more than 300 minutes in the Premier League.
The reversal is being seen as a miracle
today's corriere dello sport Leon Bailey's condition is 'nothing short of a miracle'. They suggest something is not right about the Jamaica international, which raises doubts about his attitude in Rome.
Corriere struggles to explain the nature of his season, especially since Bailly's fitness at Aston Villa appears to be fine.
There's also a hint of humor in there, with the newspaper reporting that the 28-year-old's first injury at Roma came after he had just kicked a ball and had not even sprinted.
Furthermore, he seems to have 'eliminated' the Bailey at the end of his time in Rome. That's when he specifically requested to feature in a big game against Juventus. This proved to be the last straw.
Our take: Bailey was never a Gasperini player
In defense of Leon Bailly, Roma's injuries have held him back. But Gian Piero Gasperini's system is not for everyone.
Many players have come and gone who have struggled with the physical demands. This requires each player to constantly press their man, cover distance and operate high up the pitch.
It is very difficult to do that for a player who has worked in a more practical setup at Aston Villa. Unai Emery's system relies on transitional moments, which is often the nature of the Premier League at the moment.
With this in mind, the attacker's position comes as no surprise. He started against Chelsea and Leeds United and should be more involved soon.
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⭐️ Knows how important it is for Tielemans #avfc https://t.co/sxxLYlDc04- Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 19 March 2026
