Mason Greenwood had a low moment during his encounter with Tyrone Mings but otherwise was overjoyed after celebrating Marseille’s victory over Aston Villa in their fiery pre-season match.
The ex-Man United striker help his team to a 3-1 victory with his goal contribution, but his confrontation with Mings and Amadou Onana was what really made headlines. Mason Greenwood kicked Onana’s leg from behind in questionable fashion moments after Onana had released the ball, prompting the anger from the Belgium international.
The situation intensified as Mason Greenwood started pushing Onana around and laughing, which made Mings step in and impose his physical authority, leaving Greenwood clearly worried about where things were headed. The confrontation ended with Greenwood sporting a torn shirt—a rare image during a friendly.
Ultimately, the 23-year-old had reason to celebrate. After the match, Greenwood uploaded four images and a video of his goal on Instagram, as it resulted from Mings’ mistake. Mings missed his first touch from a long pass and could not clear it effectively, and so he came around his goalkeeper and found his mark.
Former Chelsea and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made his mark as well, scoring two goals off the bench to secure victory for Marseille.
Aston Villa has had an inconsistent pre-season, with this loss to Marseille adding to previous defeats against Walsall and Hansa Rostock. Their busy schedule of friendlies continues as they prepare to face Villarreal at Estadio de la Cerámica on Sunday evening.
Aston Villa pre-season results:
0-1 W
1-3 Hansa Rostock
2-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
2-1 St Louis City SC
2-2 Nashville SC
4-0 Roma 1-3 Marseille
Fans were boosted by the summer transfer of striker Evann Guessand from Nice, who came off as a substitute in the loss at Marseille. Thrilled with his transfer, his 24-year-old said, “Really happy to be here. I was waiting for that moment for so long, and now I’m just excited to start the game, see the fans and my teammates, and start training with them.
“I’ve been watching Aston Villa’s games over the last few seasons, and once we began discussions with the coach, it was clear he was the main reason I decided to come here. I have followed his career in the French league, and he’s recognized for helping players improve, and that was significant for me.
“I want to develop as a young player. I have numerous qualities I need to develop, and speaking with the coach, I felt he would be the ideal individual to develop me and reach my abilities.”
