Aston Villa's Unai Emery: 'Dreaming' of Europa League Glory After Reaching Last 16
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery may not be touting his team as Premier League title contenders, but he's certainly dreaming big. After securing a top-eight league-phase finish with a 1-0 victory over Fenerbahce in Turkey, Emery is now eyeing Europa League glory.
However, this isn't the first time Emery has expressed his ambitions for the club. After a 1-0 loss to Everton, he stated that Villa are 'not top-five contenders.' So, what does this mean for the team's future? Well, if Villa don't finish in the top four of the Premier League, their only hope for Champions League football next season is through winning the Europa League.
Emery has a proven track record in this competition, having won it a record four times as a manager. His last victory came with Villarreal in 2021, and he's now managing his 100th game in the competition. After the Istanbul victory, he told the media, 'We have clear objectives in this competition to be a contender for a trophy.'
Villa's current form is impressive, with 20 wins in their last 25 matches. However, they missed out on the chance to move second in the league after losing to Everton. Emery made six changes against Fenerbahce, and his team dominated, with the scoreline not doing justice to the 28-time Turkish champions.
Emery praised his players for 'respecting' the competition and expressed his happiness with their response. Villa's match-winner, Jadon Sancho, scored his first goal for the club on his 19th appearance, and he's confident in Emery's support and belief in him.
Despite the team's recent success, Villa's last major trophy was the League Cup in 1996. So, while they may be dreaming big, they'll need to keep up their winning streak to achieve their Europa League ambitions.
What do you think? Is Aston Villa a serious Europa League contender? Or are they just 'dreaming' of glory? Let us know in the comments!
