Evann Guessand has handed Aston Villa another World Cup thread to follow as Ivory Coast prepare to close their Group E campaign against Curacao tonight.
Villa’s official international diary lists the fixture for Thursday, June 25, with kick-off at 9pm. It gives Unai Emery a live look at a forward whose tournament role carries clear relevance before the squad reconvenes for pre-season.
Unai Emery Gets Another Guessand Signal
Ivory Coast already put themselves in a strong position by beating Ecuador 1-0 in their opener, with Amad Diallo scoring the decisive late goal, according to ESPN. Sky Sports notes that the top two nations in each World Cup group progress, with the eight best third-placed sides also reaching the round of 32.
For Villa, the intrigue is simple: Guessand’s minutes, sharpness and role matter. The 24-year-old remains one of the club’s more interesting attacking assets, and a decisive Ivory Coast appearance would strengthen the argument that he can return to Bodymoor Heath with momentum rather than uncertainty.
The timing is useful, too. Villa’s pre-season calendar is already active, and international rhythm can be valuable for players trying to force their way back into serious first-team calculations.
Emery will not redraw his attacking plan off one international night. But if Guessand influences a high-pressure World Cup fixture, Villa will have another data point before a summer that already demands ruthless decisions.
