How Christian Benteke's Return Will Spark Aston Villa's Attack Back to Life

No one had really seen it coming, but last year, during a tense and hilly season for Aston Villa, Christian Benteke rose above expectations and reached maturity as a footballer.

In all competitions, the Belgian striker scored 11 goals. Not a great amount in itself, most critics would say, but all the more impressive considering the serious injury he suffered in early April. 

What’s more, the figure confirmed Benteke’s status as “the real deal." This wasn’t some one-season hype player, bombarding the league with goals in his first season, only to fade away in the second, never to return.

This was a player who was able to repeat the trick. 

But what was supposed to have been the cherry on the cake was cruelly taken away from him. The aforementioned injury, a rupture of the Achilles tendon, ruled him out for six months.

He was going to go to the World Cup in Brazil. Instead, he spent the summer in and around the hospital and the gym, trying to recover and become the old Benteke again.

Now, he’s about to make his comeback. 

Will he return to the form he had before his injury? That’s impossible to predict. But one thing is certain: At the age of 23, Benteke is still young and almost certainly missing out on the World Cup will have instilled a genuine sense of motivation and hunger in him.

Belgium could have used Benteke in Brazil. Everton’s Romelu Lukaku, who was anointed to replace the Aston Villa man as the Red Devils’ main goalscorer, failed at his task, while stand-in Divock Origi was too young, inexperienced and naive to be handed the responsibility.

Ultimately, Belgium failed to excite and were eliminated by Argentina in the quarter-final, but with an in-form Benteke, they could have had an ever better campaign. What’s more, a solid World Cup run would have given Benteke the chance to show the world his quality. 

But football is ever changing. Always moving forward at a relentless pace, the game leaves little time for reflection. A new season has begun, and new goals need to be scored. 

Doubtlessly, Benteke will know this like no one else in the world. Doubtlessly, the striker will be relishing the chance to explode back onto the scene.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa seem to be doing just fine without him. Currently in second position, having played four games, the Birmingham-based club are having a dream start to the season. 

However, it’s unfair to expect the Villans to simply extend this run until the end of the season. In most cases, they are not a top-four side. Their season will be long and full of obstacles.

Even under more normal circumstances, clubs like Aston Villa need to evolve and adapt almost constantly. Despite their relative success so far, then, they could do with any top players available to join their squad. 

It’s a bit of a cliche, but in that regard, Benteke will almost feel like a new signing. 

Making a return to the form he was in before will be a huge task for Benteke, but with the club in a mood of confidence, the conditions are as good as any. 

The Belgian striker will be aching to come back, and Aston Villa will welcome him with open arms. It could well be that Aston Villa’s season is about to receive yet another spark.