One option fewer for Xavi: Netherlands international is ruled out and must fear a serious injury | Goal.com

Published on 12 Sep 2026 | Reading time: 1 minute

Ian Maatsen may have suffered a serious injury on Saturday. The Netherlands international went off during Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest (1-2) and, according to manager Unai Emery, it could well be serious.

In the 80th minute, things went wrong for Maatsen after a wild tackle by James McAtee. The Dutchman was left in severe pain with an ankle problem and had to come off injured. 

With Emery having already used all his substitutes, Villa finished the match with ten men. They then conceded Igor Jesus's decisive goal for 1-2 shortly before the end, much to the frustration of the Spanish manager. 

"Maatsen’s injury was a crucial moment, because the tackle was hard. We played the last fifteen minutes with one man fewer because of one tackle," he said at the press conference.

For Emery, there should therefore have been a VAR intervention. "I think it should have been a red card. If I had been the VAR or the referee, I would have given a red card," he said. 

There is still no clarity over Maatsen’s injury, but according to Emery it does not look good. "I’m still not sure, but according to the information I have, he has an ankle injury. It could take a very long time." 

That would be very bad news for the left-back, who had made a fine start to the new season. Given national coach Xavi’s attacking approach, Maatsen was certainly in the picture for the Netherlands squad, but that may now have to be crossed off.

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