From barbecues to dressing room banter, Aston Villa’s Spanish-speaking players, past and present, brought a vibrant new culture to the club - one that grew even stronger after Unai Emery and his staff arrived three years ago.

Alongside him came several Spanish members of staff, including Damian Vidagany, who has played a key role behind the scenes throughout Emery’s tenure.

Monchi has also come and gone during that period, recently replaced by Roberto Olabe, while even the women’s team is now coached by Natalia Arroyo, who also joined from Real Sociedad.

However, the first-team squad’s Hispanic presence has gradually decreased over the past 12 months, with Diego Carlos, Philippe Coutinho, Douglas Luiz, and Alex Moreno all leaving the club.

The remaining members of this close-knit group are Emi Buendía, Emi Martínez, Pau Torres, and Andrés García.

“It’s really important for us Spanish speakers to have teammates who share our language and culture,” Buendia told Telemundo Deportes.

“There are fewer of us now - it’s mostly me, Pau, and Dibu. Before, we also had some Brazilians and...