Alejandro Garnacho sustained a facial injury during Aston Villa’s pre-season friendly against BG Pathum United in Thailand, requiring him to leave the match before halftime. The forward, on loan from Chelsea for the upcoming season, was accidentally struck in the face by Villa defender Ryan Edwards while attempting to make a run. Despite the incident, Villa secured a 3-1 victory with goals from Emiliano Buendia, Victor Lindelof, and Boubacar Kamara.

The match also marked the first appearance of English striker Brian Madjo, 17, following a lengthy registration dispute that lasted seven months. Madjo, who joined Aston Villa from Metz in January for a reported £10 million, had been unable to be registered due to Fifa regulations concerning international transfers of underage players. Born in Enfield, England, but raised in Luxembourg, Madjo’s transfer was initially blocked because of the rules surrounding players under 18. Aston Villa challenged the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which ultimately ruled in the club's favour allowing Madjo to be registered.

Since joining Villa, Madjo has impressed during pre-season, scoring four goals. Standing at 6 feet 3 inches, the forward’s size and physical presence have drawn comparisons to former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba. Prior to his transfer, Madjo spent a year with Metz, where he scored 13 goals in 26 appearances for their Under-19 side and made five appearances for the senior team. Internationally, Madjo has represented Luxembourg at youth level but switched his allegiance to England’s Under-17 team last August.