Emery Aspires for Europa League Triumph After Dismissing Title Hopes

Unai Emery, the manager of Aston Villa, has expressed that while he does not consider his team as contenders for the Premier League title, he is fervently aspiring for success in the Europa League after advancing to the knockout stages.

Villa secured a 1-0 victory against Fenerbahce in Turkey, ensuring their place in the top eight of the league phase with one match remaining.

Following a 1-0 defeat at home to Everton on Sunday, Emery cautioned that his team is currently “not in the top-five race,” indicating the challenges they face.

If Villa fails to finish within the top four of the Premier League – or the top five, should England gain an additional qualification spot – their pathway to Champions League football next season hinges solely on clinching the Europa League title.

Emery, who previously managed teams like Sevilla, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain, holds the record for the most Europa League victories, having triumphed four times, with his latest success occurring with Villarreal in 2021. Remarkably, Thursday marked his 100th match in this prestigious tournament.

In a post-match interview, he stated, “We have clear goals in this tournament to become a contender for a trophy,” following his team’s win in Istanbul.

[We aim] to be a contender should we require this trophy for Champions League qualification. Achieving that through our league position is quite challenging,” he elaborated.

Emery added, “I am dreaming of being here to win trophies, and the Europa League is one of our goals this year.”

Despite Aston Villa being the seventh-most successful club in English football history in terms of trophies, their last major trophy was the League Cup, which they won in 1996.

Villa’s Impressive Form

The team’s recent performances have been impressive, securing 20 victories in their last 25 matches (with one draw and four losses). Only Arsenal, with 21 wins, has outperformed them among clubs in Europe’s top five leagues during this stretch.

However, their setback against Everton meant they missed an opportunity to climb to second place, just four points behind league leaders Arsenal, a former club of Emery’s.

Against Fenerbahce, he made six lineup changes, and his team dominated the match, with the final scoreline flattering the Turkish champions, who have won the league 28 times.

Emery commended his players for showing respect towards the competition and expressed his satisfaction with their performance, stating he was “so, so happy” with their effort.

Jadon Sancho, who scored the decisive goal, celebrated his first strike for Villa on his 19th appearance since joining on loan from Manchester United in September.

“It’s great to have a manager who supports and believes in you,” remarked the 25-year-old forward, who has not featured for United since August 2024, with his contract set to expire this summer.

He continued, “Emery consistently encourages me to maintain a positive mindset every time I step onto the pitch. I aim to give my all in every opportunity and hope to contribute goals for the team.”

Sancho has started just two matches in the Premier League this season but has been part of Villa’s starting eleven in all of their last five Europa League fixtures.

Since early December, Villa has played 12 matches, and by securing a top-eight finish in the league phase, they avoided a two-legged playoff in February.

Emery still fielded striker Ollie Watkins for the entire match on Thursday and star midfielder Morgan Rogers for 74 minutes, while also welcoming back Tyrone Mings for his first start since November after recovering from a thigh injury.

Additionally, Amadou Onana made a late appearance off the bench, marking another significant return from injury for the squad.

“We are building the team amid circumstances that have not been favorable to us,” Emery shared with TNT Sports.

“However, next week, as the transfer window closes, we aim to secure everything necessary to complete our squad for the upcoming months and the competitions ahead.”