Fearless Madjo, 17, ends eight-month wait with dream Villa debut

What the report says

Teenage striker Brian Madjo marked his Aston Villa debut with a goal in Wednesday’s Uefa Super Cup defeat to Paris St-Germain in Salzburg, ending an eight-month wait for competitive action. The 17-year-old, who joined Villa from Metz in January, had been unable to play while the club pursued permission to register him, winning an appeal through the Court of Arbitration for Sport earlier this month.

Madjo was handed a starting role by Unai Emery as Villa rested several senior players after the World Cup, with Ollie Watkins, Emi Martinez and Ezri Konsa not involved from the start. The England Under-17 international equalised for Villa in the first half by volleying in John McGinn’s cross, and also created other chances before being substituted late in the game. PSG later went back ahead through Desire Doue to win 2-1.

BBC Sport reported that Villa had argued Madjo should be exempt from Fifa’s under-18 transfer restrictions because he was born in London, despite earlier appearances for Luxembourg at youth level. The result did not change the trophy outcome, but the performance gave Emery a new option up front ahead of Villa’s Premier League opener at Brighton on 23 August and offered an early glimpse of the teenager’s potential on a major European stage.