Youri Tielemans interview: Aston Villa midfielder on passing with a message, scanning and doing it under pressure
In this exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Aston Villa playmaker Youri Tielemans breaks down the science behind his passing, the importance of scanning and the different demands that are placed on him when his position in midfield shifts under Unai Emery...
Wednesday 7 January 2026 18:18, UK
Youri Tielemans' assist for John McGinn's second goal in Aston Villa's 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest was glorious, an example of his exceptional passing range. But the Belgian midfielder was involved in Villa's first two goals of the game as well.
Ollie Watkins' opener was made possible by Tielemans' smart pass inside to Morgan Rogers, a product of his ability to find team-mates between the lines. The second came after he won the ball back, showcasing another side to a game somehow still evolving.
It is 12 years since Tielemans made his Champions League debut as a 16-year-old prodigy at Anderlecht and five since Brendan Rodgers called him the complete midfielder. Unai Emery has made him even better. "I have improved since Leicester," he tells Sky Sports.
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Some of it just comes with time. "I am more mature now. Twelve years later, three kids later," he says, smiling. But Emery's influence is obvious, a consequence of those long video sessions. "The manager has added things to my game with his tactics," he adds.
"It is more of a complete package. I feel like technically I have improved even though technical ability was always my strength. Technically, playing under pressure, the fact that I can invite that pressure and still play out of it, I feel better in those areas.
"Also, defensively especially, I feel like the manager has challenged me in that position to go for it 100 per cent and be stronger in the duels. And also the tactical analysis of the game, just trying to find better spaces on the pitch to break down the opposition."
Passing under pressure
Passing under pressure is Tielemans' job at Villa. He made 1102 such passes with an opponent under three metres away in the Premier League last season, second only to Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes with 1124 of them. It is a test of technique and temperament.
"The fact that we train on it so much makes it easier for me in the games because when we train, we train in smaller areas. If you can do it in smaller areas in training against good opponents - because we have good players - then in a game [it feels easier].
"In a game, obviously it all happens a lot quicker, it is full speed, but the area is also bigger as well so then I just feel more comfortable." Scanning is something that he describes as "a natural process" - something that he was taught to do in the academy at Anderlecht.
"You start scanning at a young age because you have to know where the opponents come from," he explains. "The more you do it in training then the more natural it will be in the game. You should be trying to look over your shoulder in any situation, really.
"Sometimes it may feel ridiculous even in a passing drill but if you just get used to looking over your shoulder in a passing drill before you receive the ball then it becomes natural. Even in the street sometimes you start scanning!" Adding: "Nah, that is just a joke!"
Playing the risky passes
Tielemans is a good talker and it is easy to see why Emery claims that it is his mentality rather than his passing that is his best quality. "Since I was young, I have always had a good mind," he says. It is why he has that bravery when on the ball to risk losing possession.
Among Premier League midfield players, only Bruno Fernandes has played more passes bypassing at least four opponents over the past two seasons. Tielemans ranks among the top players for completed through-balls - but also for failing to complete them.
Not everyone has the strength to keep trying that defence-splitting pass when the crowd groans if it does not come off. "Sometimes you are going to lose balls but it is about the next action and trying to help the team progress higher up the pitch," he explains.
"You do not have to force silly passes, which I have done and I still will do sometimes, but you do have to find the right balance between playing forward and playing sideways or backwards." Both can be effective - but you do need players who can do both.
"Sometimes when you play sideways or backwards you can attract the opponent to be able to play forward so that the space is there. If it is not on, it is not on. But I try to look forward as much as possible." It remains his first thought? "Yes, always," he insists.
Passes sent with a message
Having players willing to make the run is essential. It was McGinn's movement that made his through-ball possible against Forest. But it was Tielemans' pass that practically demanded the movement. "With those passes there is always a message in the pass."
It is something that us laypeople might miss. The sight of Morgan Rogers receiving the ball on the half-turn and running at defences has been a feature of the season. But the player often picking him out with those passes does so with unseen details attached.
"If I play it on his left foot it means that he needs to turn that way. Morgan, with his quality, he can turn any way and he understands that where I pass the ball that is the way he needs to turn, that is the way we need to go, because there is some space there.
"I am mentioning Morgan but also at Leicester we had James Maddison who was really great at that, to turn in between the lines and always being ready to receive the ball and turn the right way for us to attack. Emi Buendia can do it easily. John McGinn as well.
"John, with his body, he can hold off any opponent. It makes it easy for me to make those passes between the lines because I know that these players can hold the ball and help us progress forward, so that does help me as well to have such good teammates."
Adjusting to different roles
If this extraordinary vision comes naturally, a kind of in-built radar on the football pitch, Tielemans' growing defensive acumen has taken longer to develop. Emery demands a lot because he uses Villa's playmaker in two very different but very specific roles.
Sometimes he is asked to do both in the same game. Against Chelsea, he started alongside Boubacar Kamara in a deeper role before moving to play in a more advanced number 10 position once Amadou Onana was introduced. It helped Villa to turn the game around.
"They are different roles, different responsibilities, but I quite like both of them and the manager finds a good balance between me starting in that number 10 position or just doing it towards the end of the game when we may need to attack a little bit more."
Interestingly, while one might assume that the number 10 role affords him more freedom, Tielemans suggests that his defensive responsibilities are actually more challenging when deployed further forwards. There, he must still defend and attack at the same time.
"Offensively, you have to go every time," he points out. "You have to support the striker. But defensively, it is also a lot more demanding because of the pressing, because of managing the centre halves and also the No 6 who drops in to get the ball.
"You are more in a three-versus-two position whereas in central midfield you are more in that zone, only sometimes having to press.
"Whereas in central midfield obviously you have got the defensive work to do but then offensively you do not always have to be inside that box to go and attack. So, it is a bit less demanding, although there is a lot more positional play when you play central midfield."
'We want to finish even higher'
Either way, Tielemans is thriving. After an injury kept him out for much of the autumn, something he describes as "a setback", he has undoubtedly found his rhythm once again. "I feel really good and want to keep that for the rest of the season," he says.
He has already played 642 games, although he does not necessarily appreciate it being pointed out that Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba, the player who came on for him at Arsenal, was celebrating his seventh birthday on the day of his Champions League debut.
"I feel young, I feel fresh! I am very grateful for the journey. I am looking forward to the rest of it now. Like you say, I have played so many games already. I just try to give that experience to the younger players in a natural way, speaking about my experiences."
How far can it take Aston Villa?
"We all understand how far we have come from the start of the season to where we are now and how good we have done to turn things around. We want to have some positive results and carry on the form that we are in and finish the season in a high place.
"If we can finish even higher this season, it would be amazing."
But Youri Tielemans makes the amazing look easy.
